-   -       •     • 

»*• 

• 

. 


• 

. 

'• 

... 


i 

. 


PUBLISHED  BY 


• 


• 


- 


' 
, 


. 


UNIVERSITY  OF 

ILLINOIS  LIBRARY 

AT  URBANA-CHAMPAIGIM 

BOOKSTACKS 


OCT  06  1986 
JUL  0  8 


JUH  2 

MAY  0  5  1496 
APR  1  2 

MAY  15  MB 


L161— 0-1096 


LIBRARY 

UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 
URBANA 


THE    INTER    OCEAN    BUILDING. 


CENTENNIAL  HISTORY 


OF  THE 


CITY  OF  CHICAGO 


ITS  MEN  AND  INSTITUTIONS 


Biographical  Sketches  of  Leading  Citizens 


ILLUSTRATED 


1905 

PUBLISHED  BY  THE  INTER  OCEAN 
CHICAGO 

PRESS  OF  THE  BLAKELY  PRINTING  COMPANY 
CHICAGO 


T 


C#K 


! 
•A 


Prefatory. 


cj 

J 


URING  the  five  years  since  the  first  edition  of  the  Inter  Ocean's  his- 
tory of  Chicago  was  presented  to  the  public,  the  city  has  rounded 
out  its  first  century.  In  presenting  this  volume  the  general  plan  of 
the  original  work  has  been  followed.  The  progress  made  by  the  city 
in  its  various  lines  of  activity  has  been  carefully  recorded. 

The  claim  is  not  made  that  it  is  a  complete,  comprehensive  his- 
tory of  Chicago's  first  100  years,  but  the  publishers  believe  it  con- 
tains more  important  facts  concerning  the  growth  of  the  city  during 
the  first  century  of  its  existence  than  any  other  like  publication. 

The  superior  arrangement  of  facts  and  events  mlapped  out  by  the 
Hon.  Frank  Gilbert,  in  the  original  edition,  has  been  adhered  to  as 
closely  as  changing  conditions  warranted.  Much  of  the  matter  is  pre- 
served intact.  Except  where  it  has  been  necessary  in  bringing  the 
work  up  to  date,  no  material  changes  have  been  made.  Mr.  Gilbert's 
plans  can  be  best  outlined-"  by  quoting  from  the  preface  of  the  first 
edition: 

"It  was  his  thought  that  facts  and  events  would  thus  be  placed 
before  the  reader  more  attractively  and  the  book  be  better  adapted 
for  the  purpose  of  reference.  It  is  hoped  that  this  method  of  treat- 
ment will  find  favor  with  readers.  The  great  public  undertakings 
which  are  closely  connected  with  the  life  and  growth  of  the  city  are 
especially  exploited  and  the  private  and  personal  enterprises  which 
have  been  great  aids  in  the  building  of  the  citv  are  given  the  atten- 
tion they  so  justly  deserve.  The  men,  too,  whose  ability,  genius  and 
forethought  have  added  to  the  city's  character,  wealth  and  renown 
have  been  remembered,  and  not  the  least  interesting,  historically  con- 
sidered, are  the  biographies  of  these  city-makers.  This  is  not  a  pre- 
tentious or  great  work,  but  it  is  hoped  that  it  will  be  found  useful 
and  be  given  a  place  in  many  libraries." 


CHICAGO,  1905. 


I  I  76646 


VIEWS— WEST  CHICAGO  PARKS. 


CHAPTER  I. 


CHICAGO'S    FIRST    CENTURY. 


HE  history  of  Chicago's  first  cen- 
tury is  a  record  of  stupendous 
contrasts. 

One  hundred  years  ago  a  fron- 
tier fort  with  one  white  settler 
under  the  protection  of  its  shelter- 
ing stockade 

To-day  a  community  of  over 
two  million  souls. 

A  century  ago  unmarked  on  the 
country's  map. 
To-day  the  second  city  in  the  United  States  and  the 
fourth  in  wealth  and  commercial  power  in  the  world. 
In  1803  one  Indian  trader. 

In  1905  a  commanding  metropolis  with  a  commerce 
more  valuable  than  was  known  to  Alexandria,  Venice, 
Carthage  and  Tyre. 

Outstripping  all  competitors,  the  center  of  the  most 
fertile  region  on  earth,  the  great  Middle  West,  from 
which  the  wealth  of  the  nation  is  mainly  drawn,  Chicago 
at  the  beginning  of  its  second  century  looks  forward 
to  a  maturity  that  can  be  measured  only  by  its  unparal- 
leled past. 

Its  massive  buildings,  its  countless  homes,  its 
thousands  of  factories,  its  hundreds  of  churches,  its 
palaces  of  art  and  industry,  its  great  railroad  systems, 
its  magnificent  parks,  its  splendid  financial  institutions, 
with  their  hundreds  of  millions  of  deposits,  its  boundless 
charities,  its  great  thoroughfares  and  boulevards,  its 
billions  of  commerce  on  land  and  lake,  its  schools  with 
their  army  of  300,000  children,  its  colleges  and  great 
universities — all  these  attest  the  work  of  Chicago's  first 
one  hundred  years. 

While  Chicago  has  not  the  traditions  of  the  older 
cities  of  the  continent,  nor  the  poetry  and  romance  of 
the  historic  centers  of  the  Old  World,  it  has  taken  its 
place  among  the  great  cities  of  the  Globe  with  a  rush 


that  has  set  aside  all  records  and  set  a  new  mark  in  the 
growth  and  development  of  municipalities. 

It  was  needed  and  it  came. 

Chicago's  entire  history  is  record  breaking.  Its 
accomplishments,  failures,  disasters,  experiences  have 
all  been  of  the  superlative  degree.  It  has  always  done 
things  on  a  big,  broad  gauge,  wholesale  scale.  Its 
growth  in  population,  its  expansion  in  area,  its  park  and 
boulevard  system,  its  strikes  and  riots,  its  fires,  its 
World's  fair,  its  universities  and  public  schools,  its 
drainage  system,  its  tall  buildings,  its  Americanism 
despite  its  polyglot  population,  its  murder  mysteries, 
its  commerce,  have  all  be  epochal.  There  have  been 
no  half  way  possibilities  for  Chicago.  It  always  "goes 
the  limit."  It  is  the  busiest,  richest,  poorest,  most 
advanced,  and  most  backward,  windiest,  most  growing, 
swiftest  moving,  and  most  aggressive  city  in  the  world. 

Chicago's  commercial  pre-eminence  is  due  primarily 
to  its  geographical  location.  At  the  headwaters  of 
Lake  Michigan,  which  dips  into  the  very  heart  of  the 
great  inter-mountain  region  of  the  nation,  it  is  the 
natural  gateway  and  centering  point  of  most  of  its 
commerce.  The  great  leaders  in  the  early  commercial 
activity  of  the  city  recognized  this,  as  did  the  first  white 
men  who  pierced  the  western  wilderness. 

It  is  borne  out  by  the  great  highways  of  commerce, 
the  railroads  that  center  here.  Over  their  rails  are  car- 
ried two-thirds  of  the  entire  tonnage  of  the  United 
States.  No  city  on  the  face  of  the  earth  can  compare 
with  Chicago  as  a  railway  center.  Chicago  railways 
have  under  their  control  or  directly  tributary  to  them 
80,000  miles  of  tracks.  They  operate  more  trains  in 
and  out  of  Chicago  daily  than  come  into  and  leave  any 
other  city  in  the  world. 

Chicago's  downtown  business  section,  a  little  more 
than  a  mile  square  in  extent,  comprises  the  life  center  of 


8 


THE    CITY    OP    CHICAGO. 


the  most  gigantic  freight  traffic  in  the  world.  In  this 
small  congested  area,  hounded  by  Twelfth  street  on  the 
south,  the  river  on  the  north.  Canal  street  on  the  west 
and  the  lake  on  the  east,  are  handled  daily  over  300,000 
tons  of  freight.  By  teaming  alone  in  the  loop  district 
100,000  tons  are  carried.  The  tense  activities  of  800,000 
people  are  carried  on  daily  in  this  same  territory. 
Along  its  thirty  miles  of  streets  and  alleys  these  800 
regiments  of  men,  women  and  children  buy,  sell  and 
labor  during  twelve  hours  of  the  day.  The  inescapable 
commercial  destiny  of  Chicago  is  manifest  nowhere  more 
clearly  than  in  this  square  mile  of  territory  in  the  down- 
town district.  The  magnitude  of  this  glut  of  commerce 
and  business  activity  precludes  a  boast.  Chicago  mer- 
chants pay  no  less  than  $50,000.000  a  year  for  the 
cartage  on  the  raw  material  and  finished  products  trans- 
ported through  this  district  annually.  The  railroads 
take  into  this  district  and  out  of  it  more  freight  than  they 
load  and  take  from  any  similar  area  in  the  world,  more 
than  any  other  group  of  railroads  give  and  take  from 
any  like  district  on  earth. 

Chicago  is  the  pulse  of  the  world's  food  market. 
On  the  floor  of  the  Board  of  Trade  is  gauged  the 
nation's  business  in  produce.  It  is  the  counting  room 
of  the  western  granary  of  the  nations.  The  total  cereal 
receipts  of  the  city  range  from  250,000,000  to  over 
350,000,000  bushels  annually.  The  receipts  of  live- 
stock aggregate  15,000,000  head,  making  this  the 
greatest  cattle  market  the  world  has  ever  known.  Its 
stockyards  cover  500  acres  and  300  miles  of  railroad 
tracks  gridiron  it.  Here  are  employed  50,000  people 
and  the  value  of  the  livestock  handled  is  $300,000,000. 
The  products  of  the  great  packing  houses  are  sent  into 
every  land. 

The  capital  invested  in  Chicago's  manufactories 
aggregates  $625.000,000.  An  army  of  300,000  workers 
is  employed  in  these  industries  and  the  wages  paid 
reach  a  total  of  nearly  $165,000,000  annually.  The 
output  is  valued  at  $1,000,000.000.  For  twenty  years 
there  has  been  no  decrease  to  the  titanic  forward  strides 
of  the  city's  factories.  Chicago's  accessibility  to  cheap 
fuel  and  raw  materials,  its  cheapness  of  land,  its  natural 
and  inevitable  advantages  as  a  focal  point  for  the  trans- 
continental traffic  of  the  country  have  all  contributed 


to  attract  to  the  city  capital  and  labor.  While  the 
greatest  conflicts  between  these  interests  have  been 
fought  here,  it  has  not  deterred  the  steady  influx  of  more 
money  seeking  investment  and  of  more  workers  seek- 
ing employment.  The  very  immensity  of  Chicago  has 
furnished  an  element  that  has  made  for  the  freedom  and 
interests  of  both  sides.  Here  no  aggregation  of  capital 
is  great  enough  to  hopelessly  crush  the  workingman 
nor  no  labor  organization  so  autocratic  as  to  per- 
manently cripple  a  great  industry. 

The  second  century  of  Chicago's  existence  opens 
up  a  magnificent  vista  of  municipal  development.  No 
greater  movement  for  the  education  and  elevation  of  the 
people  was  ever  planned.  The  schools  of  the  city  are 
adjusted  to  the  needs  of  modern  industrial  life.  Nor 
will  Chicago  be  submerged  in  the  intensified  commer- 
cialism of  the  age.  To  teach  the  coming  generations 
to  work  with  their  hands,  guided  by  a  trained  intelli- 
gence, is  the  aim  of  the  present  educational  mover,  ent 
of  the  city.  Manual  workers  and  trained  housekeepers 
is  the  product  of  citizenship  aimed  at,  both  fitted  for 
home  builders  and  useful  members  of  the  community. 

Co-ordinated  with  this  central  schools  system  are 
the  parks,  neighborhood  houses,  libraries,  art  galleries 
and  other  public  institutions.  Already  have  the  park 
commissioners  of  the  South  Side  built  neighborhood 
club  buildings  in  the  congested  districts.  Fitted  with 
gymnasiums,  baths,  swimming  tanks,  halls  and  reading 
rooms  they  have  become  the  center  of  the  citizen- 
building  movement  in  the  districts  where  before  there 
was  little  to  inspire  the  effort  to  rise  above  the  dead 
level  of  depressing  environment.  The  physical  and 
intellectual  stimulus  can  only  make  for  the  elevation 
of  the  civic  life  of  the  entire  city. 

Nor  are  the  schoolhouses  any  longer  only  places 
for  the  children  five  or  six  hours  a  day.  These  are  now 
used  as  the  rallying  points  for  the  entire  neighborhood. 
Here  the  parents  of  the  children  and  the  older  members 
of  the  family  can  meet  for  lectures,  concerts  and  the 
discussion  of  questions  affecting  the  community. 

Thus  the  workers  in  Chicago's  industrial  army  are 
being  fitted  for  their  share  in  the  upbuilding  of  the  city, 
and  influences  started  that  will  bear  fruit  during  the 
city's  second  century. 


CHAPTER  II. 


THE  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 


EPTEMBER  26,  1903,  Chicago 
began  a  week  of  celebration  in 
commemoration  of  the  arrival 
of  John  Kinzie,  the  first  white 
settler,  and  the  founding  of 
Fort  Dearborn.  From  all  over 
the  West  the  friends  and  ad- 
mirers of  the  city  came  to  join 
with  the  two  million  Chicagoans 
in  the  festivities.  For  a  time  the 
present  was  forgotten,  and  every 
mind  went  back  to  the  stockaded  fort 
and  the  solitary  white  settler  in  his  log 
shack  across  the  river.  The  descendants  of  this  pioneer 
and  the  officers  who  led  the  small  company  of  United 
States  regulars  into  the  western  wilderness  and  built  the 
government  outpost,  together  with  the  Indians  whose 
fathers  were  the  owners  of  the  land  where  a  city  of  two 
million  souls  now  stands,  met  in  a  common  reunion. 

Chicag,  the  grizzled  chief  of  the  Chippewas,  older 
than  the  city  itself,  sat  upon  the  platform  with 
the  little  great-grand-granddaughters  of  Captain  John 
Whistler  and  the  descendants  of  Lieutenant  Swearingen, 
and  John  Kinzie.  Push-a-ta-nee-kah,  chief  of  the  Sac 
and  Fox  nation,  delivered  an  address.  These  links  with 
Chicago's  past  brought  back  the  picture  of  the  frontier 
post  of  a  century  before  more  vividly  and  emphasized 
the  wonders  that  had  been  wrought  from  the  wilderness 
more  eloquently,  than  did  the  orators  who  told  the 
story  in  rounded  periods. 

Tablets  were  placed  at  historic  spots.  These  will, 
in  time,  be  wrought  in  bronze  in  commemoration  of  the 
men  and  events  to  whom  Chicago  owes  its  beginning 
and  existence.  At  the  public  library  was  placed  a  repro- 
duction of  the  first  Fort  Dearborn  built  in  1803,  and  the 
stockade  as  rebuilt  in  1816.  Here  the  opening  exercises 
of  the  celebration  were  held  and  Margaret  Schuyler  Joy 
and  Catherine  Whistler  Joy,  the  great-great-grand 


daughters  of  Captain   Whistler  who  built  it,  unveiled 
the  memorial. 

Tablet  No.  2  was  placed  on  the  Palmer  House.  On 
it  was  a  map  of  the  city  in  1871,  showing  the  extent  of 
the  great  disaster,  encircled  by  two  allegorical  figures 
symbolic  of  smoke  and  fire.  It  told  the  story  of  that 
tragedy,  "The  Chicago  Fire  1871,  burned  four  miles 
along  the  lake  and  one  mile  inland;  2,214  acres  of 
ground,  13,500  buildings  destroyed,  92,000  people  made 
homeless — $186,000,000  property  lost." 

The  tablet  placed  on  the  Masonic  Temple  bore 
this  inscription.  "Fort  Dearborn  Military  Reservation, 
75  acres — established  1824 — sold  for  town  lots  1839. 
This  square  reserved  for  Dearborn  Park,  City  Library 
erected  1898."  At  Madison  and  Wabash  a  tablet  in 
honor  of  Marquette  was  placed.  The  likeness  of 
La  Salle  was  placed  on  the  tablet  erected  on  the  Board 
of  Trade.  On  the  city  hall  were  shown  in  relief  the  first 
and  second  courthouses  erected  on  the  site  by  Cook 
County.  A  reproduction  of  the  first  railway  station 
and  "The  Pioneer,"  the  city's  first  locomotive,  was  put 
up  at  the  Chicago  and  Northwestern  depot,  Wells  and 
Kinzie  streets.  Chicago's  share  in  the  selection  of 
Abraham  Lincoln  was  recalled  in  the  tablet  at  Market 
and  Lake  streets.  On  it  were  these  words,  "Here  stood 
the  temporary  Republican  wigwam  in  which  Abraham 
Lincoln  was  nominated  for  the  Presidency,  May 
1 8,  1860. 

The  second  day  of  the  celebration  being  Sunday, 
the  greatness  of  Chicago  was  the  theme  in  all  the  pulpits. 
Special  commemorative  services  were  held  and  the 
destiny  of  the  metropolis  of  the  West  vividly  portrayed. 
On  the  Monday  following,  a  general  holiday  was 
declared  and  hundreds  of  thousands  thronged  to  Lincoln 
Park  to  see  the  great  Indian  encampment  located  there. 
The  scenes  of  early  Chicago  were  portrayed  in  the 
Indian  games  and  pastimes,  and  in  the  storming  of  Fort 
Dearborn,  a  realistic  reproduction  of  which  had  been 


10 


THE    CITY    OF   CHICAGO. 


erected  for  the  purpose.  There  was  a  notable  gathering 
of  old  settlers  in  the  evening  at  the  rooms  of  the  old 
Chicago  Historical  Society. 

The  Indian  festivities  were  continued  on  the  next 
day,  and  throughout  the  entire  week,  and  in  the  after- 
noon a  reunion  of  the  Kinzie,  Whistler  and  Swearingen 
families  was  held  at  the  Auditorium  Hotel.  These 
three  names  are  more  closely  associated  with  the  found- 
ing of  Chicago  than  are  any  others.  The  day  closed 
with  a  great  parade  in  the  evening,  showing  the  com- 
mercial growth  of  the  city.  It  was  a  spectacle  surpass- 
ing anything  of  the  kind  ever  seen  in  Chicago.  All  the 
military  organizations,  police  and  fire  departments, 
including  the  old-time  firemens'  brigade,  the  Indian 
tribes  and  representatives  of  all  the  nationalities  in 
Chicago  took  part.  The  crowds  that  had  been  arriving 
the  previous  days  packed  the  downtown  districts  to 
witness  the  parade.  On  Wednesday  the  festivities  were 


continued  at  Lincoln  Park,  the  Indian  encampment 
and  rowing  and  swimming  races  being  the  attractions. 
The  Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution  held  a 
reception  at  Memorial  Hall  in  the  evening,  which  several 
thousand  attended.  A  great  fire-works  display  on  the 
Lake  Front  closed  the  program  for  that  day.  Thursday 
was  known  as  "Mayor's  day,"  and  a  banquet  to  visiting 
officials  was  held  at  the  Auditorium  Hotel  in  the  even- 
ing. The  head  executives  of  New  York,  St.  Louis, 
Philadelphia,  Cincinnati,  New  Orleans,  Toledo,  and 
many  other  cities,  including  most  of  the  Illinois  towns 
were  present.  A  civic  mass  meeting  at  the  Auditorium 
followed  the  dinner  at  which  Mayor  Low  of  New  York 
was  the  speaker.  The  week's  festivities  closed  with 
another  extensive  display  of  fire-works  on  the  Lake 
Front  Friday  evening,  the  visitors  having  spent  the  day 
at  Lincoln  Park,  and  viewing  the  great  manufacturing 
and  commercial  attractions  of  the  citv. 


GARFIELD    PARK    PAGODA. 


CHAPTER   III. 


EARLY     CHICAGO. 


'  LITTLE  ridge,  only  from  eight  to  ten 
feet  above  lake  level,  just  west  of  the 
present    limits    of    Chicago,    may    be 
noted  as  nature's  first  entry  in  the  his- 
tory  of   this   city.      It   served   as   the 
starting  point  of  an  aquatic  revolu- 
tion, or  evolution.     Gradually  dry 
land  was  formed  where  hitherto  the 
waters    of   our   unsalted,    mid-continent 
sea  had  held  undisputed  sway,  making  for 

,          itself  an  outlet  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.    Slowly 

/_ 
the  soil  was  prepared  for  one  of  the  mightiest 

urban  growths  of  the  globe. 

But  the  rescue  of  a  little  patch  of  earth  from  the 
domain  of  water  was  not  of  itself  enough  to  ever  serve 
as  the  germ  of  a  city.  It  was  the  short  and  sluggish 
stream  now  called  the  Chicago  River  which  was  the 
decree  of  fate.  It  is  no  exaggeration  to  say  that  the 
metropolis  of  the  Middle  West  rests  on  the  river  which 
bears  its  name.  How  long  the  ridge  stood  and  the 
river  flowed  before  the  first  step  was  taken  in  the  ful- 
fillment of  this  municipal  destiny,  science  cannot  deter- 
mine. The  beavers  and  the  Indians  made  some  joint 
use  of  the  property — just  enough  to  be  a  prophecy  of 
what  civilization  would  do  when  the  time  should  come 
for  their  realization. 

Chicago  may  be  said  to  have  been  discovered  by 
Sieur  Joliet.  It  is  one  of  the  more  notable  evidences  of 
man's  ingratitude  that  not  even  a  street  in  the  city 
bears  the  name  of  this  prescient  discoverer.  La  Salle, 
who  came  eight  years  later,  had  a  vague  yet  inspiring 
vision  of  the  heart  of  the  continent.  He  caught  fore- 
gleams  of  what  might  be  and  has  been  developed  from 
the  St.  Lawrence  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  but  the  impor- 
tance of  this  portage  escaped  his  observation.  Joliet 
reached  it  December  14,  1674,  and  when  he  returned 
to  Montreal  he  reported  this  portage  as  the  most  impor- 


tant  discovery  of  his  entire  trip,  extending  as  far  west 
as  the  Mississippi  River. 

The  illustrious  Frenchmen  named,  and  their  com- 
peers, Father  Marquette  and  Tonty,  were  mere  warfar- 
ing  observers.  The  first  settler  who  was  in  any  sense 
a  connecting  link  with  civilization  was  a  negro  from 
Hayti.  How  he  came  to  drift  so  far  from  his  original 
moorings  is  a  mystery,  but  here  he  was  found,  living 
solitary  and  alone,  by  Colonel  Arent  Schuyler  de  Puy- 
ster,  commandant  at  Mackinaw,  in  the  summer  of  1779. 
The  record  of  this  curious  find  bears  the  date  of  July  4, 
1779.  It  is  a  noteworthy  and  suggestive  fact  that  the 
military  achievement  which  added  the  "Illinois  coun- 
try" to  the  United  States,  preventing  this  vast  prairie 
region  from  sharing  the  political  fate  of  Canada,  also 
dates  from  Independence  Day.  The  name  of  this  first 
settler  was  Jeane  Baptiste  Point  de  Saible.  He  is  sup- 
posed to  have  lived  here  twenty  years,  but,  tired  of 
waiting,  apparently,  for  the  coming  of  the  white  man, 
he  removed  to  Peoria,  where  his  death  occurred.  The 
commandant  described  him  as  ''a  handsome  negro,''' 
and  again  as  a  Haytian  mulatto,  "well  settled  at  Eschi- 
kagcu."  The  humble  dwelling  of  this  pioneer  was  at 
the  corner  of  Pine  and  Kinzie  streets,  a  spot  hardly  less 
deserving  of  commemoration  than  the  site  of  Fort 
Dearborn. 

A  little  before  Saible  is  supposed  to  have  settled 
here  the  first  Chicago  real  estate  transaction  occurred. 
One  William  Murray,  then  living  in  Kaskaskia,  con- 
ceived a  grand  land  speculation  worthy  of  George  Law. 
He  organized  "the  Illinois  Land  Company"  in  1773,  and 
in  its  behalf  made  a  purchase  from  the  Indians  of  a 
tract.  The  vast  tract  bought  had  for  its  northeast  cor- 
ner mete  and  bound,  as  described  of  record,  "Chica- 
gou,  or  Garlick,  Creek."  The  enterprising  Haytian  was 
just  over  the  line,  on  the  north  bank  of  "Garlick  Creek." 
Mr.  Murray  and  his  company  would  hardly  have  been 


11 


12 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


heard     of     more     but     for    the     casual     mention     of 
"Chicagou." 

The  first  white  pioneer  was  John  Kinzie,  a  name 
conspicuous  in  the  early  days  of  the  city,  and  still 
familiar.  In  1804  he  bought  the  cabin  of  Saible.  It  is 
true  that  Major  Whistler  came  here  the  year  before  and 
built  the  first  Fort  Dearborn,  the  log  structure  burnt  at 
the  massacre  of  1812,  but  he  cannot  be  said  to  have 


treaty  of  Greenville  was  that  the  United  States  govern- 
ment should  have  several  isolated  pieces  of  ground  for 
trading  posts.  In  this  list  is  found  the  following  entry : 
"One  piece  of  land  six  miles  square  at  the  mouth  of 
Chicago  River,  emptying  into  Lake  Michigan,  where 
a  fort  formerly  stood."  That  treaty  fixed  both  the 
geography  and  the  orthography  of  the  city. 

The  first  event  to  bring  Chicago  within  the  scope 


PROPOSED    PLAN  Q 

FOR  IMPROVING  THE  MOUTHOF  CHICAGO  RIVER 

Drawn  by 
F Harrison  Jr  U.S  Assisf 

Feby  * 

Wm. Howard  U.SCivii  Enomeer 


THIS   SKETCH   OF   SURVEY  OF   CHICAGO   SENT  TO   CONGRESS  WITH  REPORT  IN  1830. 


been  instrumental  in  promoting  Chicago,  as  a  mart  of 
trade  and  center  of  population. 

Moving  on  and  shifting  our  viewpoint,  it  may  be 
fairly  said  that  Chicago  was  born  at  Greenville.  Ohio,  in 
the  year  1 795.  It  was  at  that  point  that  General  Wayne, 
the  "mad  Anthony"  of  military  history,  met  the  repre- 
sentatives of  twelve  Indian  tribes,  and,  as  the  agent  of 
the  United  States  government,  bought  the  original 
site  of  Chicago.  One  of  the  minor  provisions  of  the 


of  general  observation  was  the  Fort  Dearborn  massacre, 
if  even  that  did  it.  Massacres  quite  as  revolting  and 
soul-harrowing  were  not  so  very  unusual  in  pioneer  days 
as  to  attract  universal  attention,  and  news  traveled 
slowly.  It  was  not.  however,  so  much  a  part  of  the 
price  of  progress  in  national  expansion  as  an  incident 
of  the  second  war  with  England. 

The  United  States  declared  war  June  12.  1812,  and 
on  the  pth  of  August  succeeding  Captain  Heald.  com- 


THE    CITY    Ol;    CHICAGO. 


13 


mander  at  Fort  Dearborn,  received  orders  from  General 
Hull  to  evacuate  the  fort  and  take  his  women  and  chil- 
dren to  Detroit  by  land.  The  departure  was  set  for  the 
fifteenth  of  the  same  month.  Some  of  the  women  and 
children  were  sent  by  boat,  notwithstanding  the  order. 
That  they  were  not  all  quietly  dispatched  in  the  same 
way  was  one  of  the  mistakes  of  Hull.  The  evacuation 
itself  was  due  to  indications  that  British  emissaries  from 
Canada  had  begun  to  tamper  with  the  Indians.  The 
party  which  started  out  to  make  that  overland  march 
consisted  of  no  white  men,  ten  women,  twenty  chil- 
dren and  100  Indians  supposed  to  be  friendly.  This 
mixed  company  had  proceeded  only  about  a  mile  when 
a  large  body  of  Indian  warriors  fell  upon  them.  The 
friendly  Indians  either  joined  in  the  attack  or  skulked; 
most  of  them  were  downright  treacherous.  In  ten 
minutes  every  white  man,  woman  and  child  was  dead 
except  fifteen.  Many  a  heart-rending  tale  is  still  told 
of  that  massacre,  slightly  relieved  by  a  rescue  by  one 
genuinely  friendly  red  man.  On  that  day  of  horror  Chi- 
cago received  its  baptism  of  blood,  as  October  9,  1871, 
it  received  its  baptism  of  fire.  The  slaughter  occurred 
in  the  vicinity  of  Eighteenth  street  and  Prairie  avenue. 
A  large  elm  tree  was  supposed  to  mark  the  spot  as  near 
as  possible.  The  massacre  tree  survived  until  1887, 
when  it  shed  its  last  leaf,  unable  to  respond  again  to 
the  quickening  call  of  spring.  It  was  cut  down  and  a 
fitting  monument  in  bronze  commemorative  of  the 
tragic  event  was  erected  in  its  place  by  Mr.  George  M. 
Pullman,  who  owned  the  ground.  Many  conflicting 
reports  were  made  of  the  massacre,  but  the  account 
here  followed  was  set  down,  with  many  omitted  details, 
by  an  eyewitness. 

For  two  years  Chicago  dropped  out  of  sight,  and 
it  was  four  years  that  the  bodies  of  the  victims  of  the 
butchery  remained  unburied.  John  Kinzie  left  his 
home  and  the  Indians  had  their  own  way  in  all  this 
region.  Chicago  was  a  scene  of  desolation.  No  attempt 
was  made  to  re-establish  civilized  life  on  the  banks  of 
"Garlick  Creek"  until  after  the  second  war  with  Eng- 
land was  over. 

It  was  in  July,  1816,  that  the  order  to  rebuild  Fort 
Dearborn  was  issued,  and  in  accordance  with  said  order 
Captain  Hezekiah  Bradley,  with  two  companies  of 
infantry,  took  possession  of  the  old  ruined  fort  and  pro- 
ceeded to  rebuild  the  same.  One  of  the  first  duties, 
however,  of  the  captain  and  the  men  under  him  was 
the  burying  of  the  skeletons  of  the  dead  victims  of  the 
massacre  at  the  time  of  the  evacuation  of  the  fort.  This 
done,  they  proceeded  to  rebuild  their  home,  which  was 
done  in  a  more  careful  and  substantial  manner  than 
before.  John  Kinzie  and  his  family  came  back,  and 
occasionally  other  settlers  straggled  in  to  renew  the 
process  of  civilizing  the  six-mile  tract  belonging  to  the 
government.  The  Indians  were  still  numerous,  but  so 


far  as  the  record  goes  were  never  afterward  unfriendly. 
In  1818  the  American  Fur  Company  established  a 
branch  office  here,  which  enlarged  the  commercial 
transactions  about  the  fort.  By  1820  there  was  quite 
a  village,  a  half  dozen  or  more  comfortable  cottages, 
which,  together  with  the  soldiers  of  the  fort  and  the 
Indians  about,  made  things  appear  quite  lively.  About 
this  time  (1820)  Chicago  was  honored  with  an  unusual 
visitation.  Governor  Cass,  with  a  number  of  other 
gentlemen,  was  making  an  official  expedition  through 
the  Northwest  and  visited  Chicago.  Accompanying 
this  expedition  was  Henry  R.  Schoolcraft,  who  seemed 
delighted  with  Chicago  and  its  surroundings.  Mr. 
Schoolcraft,  although  he  went  out  as  a  mineralogist, 
seems  to  have  been  the  scribe  and  reporter  tor  the 
party.  He  says  that  General  Cass  and  party  reached 
the  village  (Chicago)  about  5  o'clock  on  the  morning  of 
August  29,  1820.  "We  found  four  or  five  families  living 
here,  the  principal  of  which  were  those  of  John  Kinzie, 
Dr.  A.  Wolcott,  J.  B.  Beaubien  and  J.  Crafts,  the  latter 
living  a  short  distance  up  the  river.  The  Pottawot- 
tamies,  to  whom  this  site  is  the  capital  of  trade,  appeared 
to  be  lords  of  the  soil,  and  truly  are  entitled  to  the 
epithet  if  laziness  and  an  utter  insppreciation  of  the 
value  of  time  be  a  test  of  lordliness."  "We  found  the 
post,  Fort  Dearborn,  under  the  command  of  Captain 
Bradley,  with  a  force  of  160  men.  The  river  is  ample 
and  deep  for  a  few  miles,  but  is  utterly  choked  by  the 
lake  sands,  through  which,  behind  a  masked  margin,  it 
oozes  its  way  for  a  mile  or  two  till  it  percolates  through 
the  sand  into  the  lake."  Mr.  Schoolcraft  seems  to  have 
been  something  of  an  artist,  and  while  he  was  there 
he  took  a  sketch  of  the  village,  as  he  says,  "from  a 
standpoint  on  the  flat  of  sand  which  stretched  out  in 
front  of  the  place."  The  cut  herewith  presented  is  a 
copy  of  Mr.  Schoolcraft's  sketch,  which  he  says, 
"embraces  every  house  in  the  village,  including  the 
fort."  Of  the  country  he  says:  "The  country  around 
Chicago  is  the  most  fertile  and  beautiful  that  can  be 
imagined.  It  consists  of  an  intermixture  of  wood  and 
prairies,  diversified  with  gentle  slopes,  sometimes 
attaining  the  elevation  of  hills,  and  it  is  irrigated  with 
a  number  of  clear  streams  and  rivers,  which  throw  their 
waters  partly  into  Lake  Michigan  and  partly  into  the 
Mississippi  River.  As  a  farming  country  it  presents  the 
greatest  facilities  for  stock-raising  and  grain,  and  is  one 
of  the  favored  parts  of  the  Mississippi  Valley.  The 
climate  has  a  delightful  serenity,  and  it  must,  as  soon  as 
the  Indian  title  is  extinguished,  become  one  of  the  most 
active  fields  for  the  emigrant.  To  the  ordinary  advan- 
tage of  an  agricultural  market  town  it  must  add  that  of 
being  a  depot  for  the  commerce  between  the  northern 
and  southern  sections  of  the  Union,  and  a  great  thor- 
oughfare for  strangers,  merchants  and  travelers." 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


From  this  it  will  be  seen  that  Mr.  Schoolcraft  was 
much  more  enamored  with  the  situation  of  Chicago  than 
most  of  the  early  travelers  through  this  region.  He 
saw,  too,  the  advantages  of  this  location  from  a  commer- 
cial point  of  view,  and  the  years  since  have  shown  that 
he  was  correct  in  his  estimates  of  the  importance  of 
this  location  for  commerce  and  enterprise.  It  is  in 
fact  true  of  nearly  all  the  early  visitors  of  Chicago  that 
they  saw  great  commercial  advantages  for  Chicago — 
even  when  it  was  only  a  site  it  seemed  to  warm  the 
imaginations  of  the  Jesuit  fathers,  Marquette  and  Joliet, 
more  than  any  other  point  they  visited  in  all  their 
wanderings.  Already  Chicago  has  more  than  justi- 
fied their  far-sighted  wisdom,  but  the  present  has  more 
promise  for  the  future  than  1820  or  1830  had.  The 


Up  to  1823  the  place  was  more  generally  known  as 
Fort  Dearborn  than  as  Chicago,  the  military  post  being 
the  principal  feature  of  the  settlement,  but  in  1823  the 
post  was  again  evacuated  and  for  five  years  continued 
vacant.  During  that  time  the  designation  "Fort  Dear- 
born" almost  entirely  disappeared,  and  the  place  got  its 
proper  name,  Chicago.  After  the  evacuation  of  the  fort 
the  only  government  representative  that  remained  was 
Dr.  Alexander  Wcflcott,  the  Indian  agent,  who  still 
retained  his  office  here.  Chicago  was  then  a  part  of 
Peoria  County,  and  in  the  congressional  election  of  1826 
cast  35  votes. 

In  1830  William  Howard,  a  United  States  civil  engi- 
neer, made  a  survey  of  the  general  location  of  Chicago, 
with  especial  view  as  to  its  relations  to  the  Chicago 


VIEW  OF  CHICAGO  IN  1820,  BY  HENRY  R.  SCHOOLCRAFT. 


indications  now  are  that  in  the  next  seventy  years 
wealth,  population,  commerce,  education,  art  and  all 
things  that  relate  to  the  higher  life  and  civilization  of 
a  people  will  increase  more  rapidly  than  they  have  in 
the  last  seventy  years.  It  will  require  more  wisdom  to 
prepare  the  present  city  to  become  the  wonderful  city 
Chicago  should  be  in  2070  than  was  required  of  its 
founders  and  builders  to  produce  the  city  of  to-day. 
Faith  and  energy  were  the  principal  requirements  of 
the  founders,  but  the  men  that  make  this  city  what  it 
should  be  at  the  end  of  the  next  seventy  years  must 
have,  in  addition  to  those  qualifications,  intellectual  cul- 
ture, practical  wisdom,  high  ideals  and  courage  to  do 
and  dare.  The  place  where  Chicago  stands  was  created 
for  great  things,  and  if  citizens  of  the  city  and  state  do 
their  duty  that  design  will  be  realized  before  the  close 
of  the  twentieth  century. 


River  and  the  lake.  His  drawing  and  report  gave  the 
best  idea  of  the  Chicago  River  of  that  early  day  that 
can  anywhere  be  found.  The  sketch  is  here  repro- 
duced, and  the  beach  of  sand  from  which  Mr.  School- 
craft  drew  his  sketch  of  infant  Chicago,  ten  years  pre- 
vious, is  plainly  shown.  The  Commissioner  of  the 
General  Land  Office,  at  the  time  of  reporting  this  sur- 
vey, sent  the  following  letter  to  Congress  in  regard  to 
the  same,  inclosing  the  sketch : 

"GENERAL  LANDOFFICE,  March  22,  1830. 
"Sir: — I  take  the  liberty  to  inclose  you  a  diagram, 
exhibiting  the  survey  of  the  public  lands  lying  on  Lake 
Michigan,  at  the  mouth  of  Chicago  Creek,  and  would 
recommend  that  an  act  be  passed,  authorizing  the  Presi- 
dent to  lay  off  a  town  at  this  point.  Section  9  has  been 
allotted  to  the  State  of  Illinois,  under  the  act  granting 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


to    her    certain    lands   for  the  purpose   of  making   a 
canal. 

"Should  the  United  States  establish  a  town  at  the 
mouth  of  the  creek,  the  state  would  probably  derive 
much  benefit  by  extending  the  lots  into  Section  9,  as 
Chicago  Creek  affords  a  good  harbor  through  the  whole 
of  this  section. 

"It  is  understood  that  the  waters  of  Lake  Michigan 
may  be  drawn  into  the  Illinois  River,  by  a  thorough  cut 
of  moderate  length,  and  not  more  than  seventeen  feet 
deep  at  the  summit ;  when  this  is  affected,  and  the  bar 
on  the  outside  of  the  mouth  of  Chicago  Creek  is  so 
deepened  as  to  admit  into  the  harbor  with  facility  ves- 
sels of  the  largest  class  navigating  the  lakes,  Chicago 
must  inevitably  become  one  of  the  most  important 
depots  and  thoroughfares  on  the  lakes. 

''The  government  are  about  bringing  into  market 
a  vast  extent  of  country  between  Lake  Michigan  and 
the  Mississippi  River,  which,  as  to  advantages  of  local 
position,  fertility  of  soil,  healthfulness  of  climate  and 
mineral  resources,  is  not  perhaps  excelled  by  any  other 
tract  of  country  of  equal  extent  in  the  United  States. 
The  deepening  of  the  inlet  of  the  harbor  of  Chicago 
would  essentially  facilitate  the  sale  of  these  lands  and 
promote  the  settlement  of  the  country. 

*  *  *  *  •  *  * 

"With  great  respect,  your  obedient  servant, 

"GEORGE  GRAHAM." 

It  will  be  seen  by  the  above  that  the  writer  took  a 
great  interest  in  the  embryo  city  of  Chicago,  and  that 
even  then,  when  nobody  ever  thought  of  Chicago  need- 
ing any  other  drainage  receptacle  than  the  lake,  he 
called  attention  to  the  fact  that  the  waters  of  Lake 
Michigan  could  be  easily  turned  into  the  Illinois  River 
by  making  a  cut  of  moderate  length  and  not  more  than 
seventeen  feet  deep  at  the  summit ;  in  fact,  nearly  all  the 
pioneers  were  especially  attracted  to  Chicago  on 
account  of  the  ease  with  which  a  waterway  could  be 
made  joining  the  lake  with  the  Mississippi  River  through 
the  Chicago,  Desplaines  and  Illinois  rivers.  With  this 
fact  so  prominent  in  the  minds  of  the  earlier  explorers, 
it  seem  strange  that  such  an  enterprise  should  have 
been  delayed  so  long  as  it  was.  Of  course,  in  those 
days  they  did  not  have  such  big  ships  and  boats  as  are 
now  necessary  on  the  lakes  and  rivers,  and  to  make  a 
navigable  stream  then  required  no  such  a  great  water- 
way as  our  present  drainage  board  have  provided.  Now, 
however,  that  Chicago  has  spent  $33,000,000  in  begin- 
ning this  great  work,  it  will  be  stranger  still  if  the 
national  government  does  not  follow  it  up  and  carry 
out  the  idea  of  the  early  pioneers  and  connect  the  great 
chain  of  lakes  with  the  Mississippi  River.  In  no  other 
way  can  such  an  extent  of  navigable  water  communica- 
tion be  created  on  the  continent. 


After  the  evacuation  in  1823,  the  fort  remained 
unoccupied  until  1828,  when  a  new  garrison  was  sta- 
tioned here,  remaining  until  May,  1831.  But  it  only 
remained  vacant  about  one  year.  Owing  to  the  emer- 
gencies of  the  Black  Hawk  war,  the  government  again 
stationed  a  force  at  this  port,  and  the  action  proved  very 
fortunate,  as  the  fort  afforded  a  refuge  for  frightened 
settlers  for  long  distances  around.  After  the  peace  that 
followed  the  Black  Hawk  war  had  become  apparently 
permanent,  the  troops  were  again,  on  December  29, 
1836,  removed  from  the  fort,  and  Chicago  from  that 
time  on  took  care  of  herself  without  the  assistance  of  the 
war  department.  Chicago  now  became  a  place  of  com 
parative  activity,  looking  fonvard  to  a  position  in  the 
commercial  world.  The  year  1837  was  quite  an  impor- 
tant year.  Chicago  was  incorporated  as  a  city  and 
elected  her  first  mayor.  In  later  years  the  "old  settlers" 
were  those  who  had  come  to  Chicago  in  1837  or  pre- 
viously. Anybody  that  came  later  was  barred  that 
title,  or  at  least  barred  out  of  the  association  as  ineli- 
gible to  membership.  In  fact,  however,  it  was  as  far 
back  as  1830  that  Chicago  began  to  show  evidence  of 
ambition  to  realize  the  dream  of  Joliet  and  to  display- 
signs  of  commercial  life.  Before  that,  however,  it  had 
gained  very  slowly.  From  1816  to  1830  it  had  gained 
only  twelve  or  fifteen  houses  and  a  population  of  about 
100. 

A  side  light  is  thrown  upon  the  Chicago  of  that 
period  by  the  records  of  the  assessor  of  Peoria  County 
in  1825,  seven  years  after  Illinois  became  a  state.  There 
were  only  fourteen  taxpayers  in  the  "Chicago  precinct," 
including  John  Jacob  Astor's  Fur  Company.  More  than 
one-half  the  assessable  property  of  the  place  belonged 
to  Astor,  whose  name  now  figures  as  that  of  one  of 
the  shortest  but  most  aristocratic  streets  of  the  city. 
Astor's  tax  was  $50,  on  a  valuation  of  $5,000.  The 
totals,  without  counting  Astor's  Fur  Company,  were : 
Valuations,  $4,047;  taxes,  $34.47. 

It  was  not  until  the  last  vestige  of  Indian  occupa- 
tion in  bulk  had  disappeared  from  Illinois  that  Chicago 
began  to  grow.  The  Keokuk  treaty  of  1830  was 
designed  to  rid  the  state  of  these  obstructions,  but 
Black  Hawk  refused  to  go.  His  people  occupied  a  large 
area  of  Northern  Illinois.  The  Black  Hawk  war  closed 
with  his  capture  in  1833.  Soon  after  in  the  same  year 
not  less  than  5,000  Indians  assembled  at  Chicago  to 
treat  for  the  sale  of  their  remaining  lands  in  Northern 
Illinois  and  Southern  Wisconsin.  It  was  a  tedious 
process.  The  Indians  did  not  want  to  sell,  but  the  hour 
had  come  and  the  assembled  red  men  finally  bowed  to 
the  inevitable. 

The  original  town  of  Chicago  was  laid  out  in  1830. 
It  extended  from  Chicago  avenue  on  the  north  to  Madi- 
son street  on  the  south  and  from  State  street  on  the 
east  to  Halsted  street  on  the  west.  All  east  of  State 


16 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


FORT   DEARBORN   IN   1853   FROM  THE   SOUTHWEST. 


street  was  subject  to  overflow  from  the  lake.  The  West 
Side  was  substantially  unbroken  prairie.  Real  estate 
speculation  began,  in  a  mild  form,  not  reaching  the 
fever  point  until  the  red  men  were  well  out  of  the 
way.  The  first  bridge  was  erected  over  the  south 
branch.  That  was  in  1831.  Three  years  later  a  draw- 
bridge was  erected  which  spanned  the  main  river  at 
Dearborn  street. 

The  first  census  of  Chicago  was  taken  in  1835.  It 
was  taken  by  the  town  authorities.  It  showed  a  popula- 
tion, in  November  of  that  year,  of  3,255  souls.  There 
were  398  dwellings,  four  warehouses,  twenty-nine  dry- 
goods  stores,  nineteen  grocery  and  provision  stores,  five 
hardware  stores,  three  drug  stores,  nineteen  taverns, 
twenty-six  saloons,  seventeen  law  offices.  The  first 
Cook  County  courthouse  was  erected  that  year,  and 
on  the  northeastern  corner  of  the  present  courthouse 
square.  Chicago  was  then  beginning  to  get  911. 

The  first  step  toward  a  city  charter  for  Chicago  was 
taken  in  October,  1836.  The  town  trustees  and  dele- 
gates from  the  three  divisions  met  in  conference  to 
frame  a  charter.  Their  work  done,  •  it  was  submitted 
to  the  people  in  mass  meeting  assembled.  With  slight 
changes  it  was  approved.  The  charter  was  then  taken 
to  the  General  Assembly,  which  convened  at  the  begin- 
ning of  1837.  It  was  passed  and  approved  March  4, 


1837,  the  same  day  that  Martin  Van  Buren  was  inau- 
gurated President  of  the  United  States.  That  original 
city  of  Chicago  had  six  wards.  William  B.  Ogden  was 
elected  mayor.  The  whole  number  of  votes  cast  at  the 
first  municipal  election  in  Chicago  was  only  709.  It  was 
between  the  time  that  Chicago  decided  to  ask  for  a 
city  charter  and  the  time  it  actually  got  it  that  it  really 
ceased  to  be  Fort  Dearborn,  for  the  garrison  was  with- 
drawn December  29,  1836. 

It  was  about  this  time  that  the  great  era  of  specula- 
tion in  town  lots  and  of  internal  improvement  by  states 
set  in.  Chicago  was  included  in  one,  Illinois  in  the 
other.  It  was  a  wild  storm  of  great  expectations.  Noth- 
ing could  stand  before  it.  Its  fury  was  unabated  till 
the  crash  of  1837  came.  The  city  of  Chicago  was  still 
in  its  cradle,  its  age  counted  by  months,  when  the  col- 
lapse came.  Lots  which  had  been  bought  only  a  little 
while  before  for  a  few  hundred  dollars  were  sold  for 
thousands  of  dollars,  and  everything  seemed  to  betoken 
wonderful  prosperity.  The  collapse  came  and  the  fall 
was  greater  than  the  rise.  From  1837  to  about  1840 
was  a  period  of  great  depression  and  hardship.  Chicago 
was  what  the  vernacular  of  to-day  calls  "a  busted  boom 
town.''  To  make  the  misery  more  complete,  drought 
fell  like  a  blight  upon  the  prairie  farmers  and  an  epi- 
demic of  cholera  visited  the  little  poverty-stricken  city. 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


17 


It  was  not  until  1842  that  Chicago  gave  signs  of  recov- 
ery from  the  depression,  and  then  only  faint  and  feeble. 

The  decade  of  the  forties  may  be  set  down  as  a  period 
memorable  for  its  beginnings.  In  his  "Story  of  Chicago" 
Major  Joseph  Kirkland  makes  this  brief  summary  on 
this  point : 

"The  forties  saw  the  beginning,  in  a  small  way,  of 
nearly  all  the  great  institutions  Chicago  now  enjoys.  In 
1841  the  first  waterworks  were  built.  The  first  propeller 
was  launched  in  1842,  in  which  year  the  exports  were  for 
the  first  time  greater  than  the  imports.  The  first  book 
compiled,  printed,  bound  and  issued  is  said  to  have 
been  in  1843.  The  first  meat  for  the  English  market  was 
packed  in  1844.  The  first  permanent  public  school 
building  was  built  in  1845.  In  1846  the  River  and 
Harbor  Convention  met  and  Chicago  was  made  a  port 
of  entry.  In  1847  the  first  permanent  theater  was 
opened  (Rice's;  south  side  of  Randolph  street,  between 
State  and  Dearborn  streets),  and  McCormick's  reaper 


factory  was  started.  In  1848  the  first  telegram  was 
received,  being  a  message  from  Milwaukee,  and  later 
the  'Pioneer,'  our  first  locomotive,  was  landed  from  the 
schooner  Buffalo  and  started  out  on  the  Galena  rail- 
way. In  the  same  year  the  Board  of  Trade  was  estab- 
lished and  the  canal  opened.  In  1849  the  Chicago  & 
Galena  Union  Railroad  was  opened  to  Elgin." 

We  have  now  reached  a  point  in  the  history  of 
Chicago  where  we  must  deal  with  a  great  city,  not  the 
beginnings  of  one.  As  the  ground  on  which  it  stands 
was  long  in  getting  out  from  under  the  dominion  of  the 
lake,  and  our  river  was  long  a  mere  pool  slowly  rising  to 
the  dignity  of  a  fresh  water  estuary,  so  the  city  itself 
made  hard  work  of  getting  a  start.  There  were  at  least 
three  cities  in  the  state,  Shawneetown,  Galena  and  Alton 
which  gained  no  inconsiderable  importance  while 
Chicago  was  having  a  baffling  struggle  for  bare  exist- 
ence. But  about  the  time  the  city  charter  was  granted 
the  municipality  entered  upon  its  career,  and  from  this 


CITY   HALL. 


18 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


time  on  we  are  not  to  deal  with  a  rivulet.  The  municipal 
river  is  not  only  widening,  but  really  has  an  ever-increas- 
ing number  of  branches,  each  of  which  invites  to 
historical  exploration.  They  will  be  explored,  so  far 
as  practicable,  in  the  order  of  their  beginnings.  This 
topical  indistinction  from  chronological  method  seems 
best  suited  to  a  presentation  of  the  past  experiences  of 
a  great  city,  as  the  biographical  method  is  to  a  presenta- 
tion of  its  present  life. 

MILE  STONES   IN   CHICAGO'S   WONDERFUL 
GROWTH. 

1803. 

Fort  Dearborn  built  by  Captain  John  Whistler  and 
Lieutenant  James  S.  Swearingen  of  the  United  .States 
army,  in  command  of  a  company  of  United  States  troops 
from  Detroit.  The  post  was  named  in  honor  of  Gen- 
eral Henry  Dearborn,  then  secretary  of  war.  Popula- 
tion, seventy-five. 

1804. 

John  Kinzie  and  his  family  become  the  first  white 
s-ettlers  under  the  United  States,  following  the  soldiers 
from  Detroit  to  trade  with  the  Indians.  He  brought 
with  him  his  wife  and  young  son.  In  that  year  Ellen 
Marion  Kinzie  was  born,  the  first  white  child  of  the  set- 
tlement. Mr.  Kinzie  died  here  in  1828. 

1805. 

The  first  lawyer,  Charles  Jewett,  came  to  Chicago 
and  was  appointed  the  first  Indian  agent  for  the  Potta- 
wattamies,  and  other  nearby  tribes. 

1806. 

Efforts  made  by  Tecumseh,  the  famous  Indian  chief, 
and  his  brother,  the  Prophet,  to  form  a  confederacy  of 
the  Indians  against  the  whites  at  Fort  Dearborn  and 
other  western  settlements. 

1810. 

The  first  doctor,  John  Cooper,  surgeon  mate.  U.  S. 
A.,  came  to  Chicago,  being  detailed  for  duty  by  the  war 
department  at  Fort  Dearborn.  The  Pottawattamies 
opened  warfare  against  the  settlement.  First  sugges- 
tion of  government  connecting  the  Chicago  and  Illinois 
river  by  canal  by  way  of  the  portage. 

1812. 

August  5,  occurred  the  massacre  of  the  garrison  of 
Fort  Dearborn,  together  with  a  number  of  settlers  on 
the  south  shore.  Captain  Nathan  Head  was  ordered 
to  evacuate  the  fort  and  retreat  to  Detroit,  as  a  result 
of  the  hostilities  between  the  United  States  and  Eng- 
land. Fort  Dearborn  was  burned  by  the  Indians.  Pop- 
ulation, one  hundred  and  ten. 

1813. 

Phillip  Fouche  appointed  as  first  United  States  mar- 
shall  for  the  district  embracing  Chicago. 


1816. 

Captain  Hezekiah  Bradley  arrived  in  command  of 
two  companies  of  infantry  and  rebuilt  Fort  Dearborn. 
The  Indian  agency  and  warehouse  reestablished.  Kinzie 
family  returned.  Population,  one  hundred  and  fifty. 

1817. 

Route  between  Chicago  and  Mackinac  Island  estab- 
lished by  the  schooners  Baltimore  and  Hercules. 

1818. 

Illinois  admitted  to  the  Union  as  a  state.  The 
American  Fur  Company  established  agency  here. 

1821. 

First  government  survey  of  the  shore  line  of  Lake 
Michigan  off  Chicago  made. 

1822. 

Alexander  Beaubien  baptized  by  the  Rev.  Stephen 
D.  Badin. 

1823. 

Fort  Dearborn  evacuated  by  federal  troops.  Dr. 
Alexander  Wolcott  remained  in  charge  as  Indian  agent. 
His  wedding  to  Miss  Ellen  Marion  Kinzie  celebrated, 
the  first  marriage  in  the  settlement.  Mrs.  Wolcott  died 
in  Detroit  in  1860.  Illinois  and  Michigan  canal  bill 
passed  by  legislature. 

1824. 
Survey  for  the  Illinois  and  Michigan  canal  is  made. 

1825. 

The  first  Protestant  sermon  preached  in  Chicago 
October  9,  by  the  Rev.  Isaac  McCoy,  a  Baptist  clergy- 
man. Chicago  still  a  part  of  Peoria  County.  Popula- 
tion, two  hundred. 

1826. 

Election  for  congress  and  for  governor  held.  Only 
thirty-five  votes  were  cast. 

1827. 

First  slaughter  house  built  by  Archibald  Clybourne 
on  north  branch  of  the  river,  which  was  forerunner  of 
great  packing  industry.  First  company  of  militia 
organized.. 

1828. 

Fort  Dearborn  is  regarrisoned  by  Federal  troops. 
John  Kinzie  died. 

1829. 

Wolf  Tavern  built  at  the  forks  of  the  river  by  Archi- 
bald Caldwell  and  James  Kinzie.  First  ferry  estab- 
lished near  site  of  present  Lake  street  bridge. 

1830. 

Chicago  surveyed  and  platted  and  first  bridge  built 
over  the  river  at  Randolph  street.  Population,  five 
hundred. 

1831. 

Cook  County  formed  and  Chicago  made  county 
seat.  First  county  building  erected.  First  postoffice 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


19 


established  with  Jonathan  N.  Bailey  as  postmaster. 
First  Methodist  church  built  and  first  government  light- 
house established  at  harbor  mouth. 

1832. 

First  store  built  of  boards,  put  up  by  Robert  Kinzie 
on  west  side  of  river.  First  drug  store  established  by 
Philo  Carpenter.  Four  companies  of  militia  volunteer 
for  Blackhawk  war  and  General  Winfield  Scott  arrived 
July  8,  with  regular  troops.  First  sawmill  established 


mont  house  built.    Block  on  which  new  postoffice  stands 
sold  for  $550.     Population,  eight  hundred. 

1834. 

The  city  floated  its  first  loan.  First  Episcopal 
church,  St.  James,  established  by  the  Rev.  Isaac  YY. 
Hallam.  First  mail  route  established  between  Chicago 
and  Detroit  by  Dr.  John  H.  Temple.  The  first  draw- 
bridge built  across  the  river  at  Dearborn  street.  The 
first  vessels  to  navigate  river  were  the  steamer  Michigan 


THE    GOVERNMENT    BUILDING. 


and  first  meat  packed  and  shipped.     Steamer  Sheldon 
Thompson  brought  cholera  to  town. 

1833- 

Chicago  incorporated  as  a  town.  First  newspaper 
established,  The  Democrat,  by  John  Calhoun.  The 
first  public  school  opened  with  an  enrollment  of  twenty- 
five.  First  log  jail  built,  five  trustees  for  town  elected 
and  code  of  municipal  laws  adopted.  First  shipment  of 
merchandise  from  Chicago  taken  out  by  schooner 
Napoleon.  First  Roman  Catholic  parish,  St.  Mary's 
established  by  the  Rev.  Father  John  St.  Cyr.  First 
Presbyterian  congregation  formed  by  the  Rev.  Jere- 
miah Porter.  First  fire  department  organized  with 
Benjamin  Jones  as  chief.  An  appropriation  of  $25,000 
for  the  improvement  of  the  harbor  made.  First  Tre- 


and  the  schooner  Illinois.  The  first  piano  brought  to 
town  by  George  J.  B.  Beaubien.  The  first  divorce  is 
granted,  and  the  first  murder  trial  concluded.  Popula- 
tion, i,  600,  number  of  votes  cast  at  election,  528. 


The  first  courthouse,  a  one-story  and  basement  brick 
structure,  built  on  the  southwest  corner  of  Clark  and 
Randolph  streets.  United  States  land  office  opened  with 
a  rush.  The  first  Chicago  bank  opened,  branch  of  the 
Illinois  State  bank.  Board  of  health  organized. 
School  census  taken.  Population,  3,279. 

1836. 

First  ground  broken  for  Illinois  and  Michigan  canal 
July  4.  The  Clarissa  the  first  sailing  vessel  built  in  Chi- 
cago launched.  The  garrison  quartered  in  Fort  Dear- 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


COLUMBUS   MEMORIAL   BUILDING. 

born  since  1828,  withdrawn  and  site  abandoned  as  an 
army  post.  William  B.  Ogden's  house  built  from  archi- 
tectural designs,  the  first  of  its  kind  in  the  city.  The 
Galena  and  Chicago  Union  Railroad  chartered.  Pres- 
idental  vote  of  Cook  County  1,043. 

1837- 

The  City  of  Chicago  incorporated  and  first  city 
election  held.  Daniel  Webster  visited  city.  First  census 
of  city  showed  a  population  of  4,170.  First  theater 
opened.  First  financial  panic. 

1838. 

First  side-wheel  steamer,  the  James  Allen,  built. 
First  steam  fire  engine  purchased.  The  first  exporta- 


tion of  wheat,  seventy-eight  bushels,  took  place.     Con- 
gressional vote,  2,506. 

1839- 

First  big  fire  cost  the  city  $75,000.  First  job  print- 
ing office  opened,  and  first  daily  paper,  The  American, 
published.  Thanksgiving  publicly  observed  for  the 
first  time.  First  brewery  established. 

1840. 

The  public  free  schools  were  reorganized  and  made 
permanent.  Scammon's  reports  were  issued,  the  first 
book  published  in  Chicago.  First  Clark  street  bridge 
built.  Population,  4,470. 

1841. 

First  wave  of  temperance  struck  the  town  and  150 
took  the  pledge  in  three  days.  Bridge  built  at  Wells 

street. 

1842. 

Forty  merchants  pass  through  bankruptcy  courts. 
Works  of  Chicago  Hydraulic  Company  put  in  operation. 
The  Independence,  the  first  propeller  launched.  It  was 
the  first  steamboat  to  navigate  Lake  Superior.  Ex- 
president  Van  Buren  visited  the  city. 

1843- 

Corn  and  wheat  make  low  record  in  February,  corn 
selling  at  1 8  cents  and  wheat  38  cents  a  bushel.  First 
Chicago  directory  published  in  book  form.  First  ses- 
sion of  Rush  Medical  College  held.  A  tri-weekly 
express  service  established  between  Chicago  and  the 
East. 

1844. 

Tornado  wrecks  many  houses  and  shipping  in  the 
harbor.  Great  boom  in  building,  600  houses  erected. 
First  fire  alarm  bell  installed.  St.  Mary's  of  the  Lake 
University  established.  Dearborn  school,  first  perma- 
nent school  building  erected  at  a  cost  of  $7,500.  Popu- 
lation, 12,000. 

1845- 

First  power  printing  press  brought  here  by  "Long 
John"  Wentworth,  editor  of  the  Democrat.  County 
court  established. 

1846. 

July  13  Chicago  made  a  port  of  entry.  Holy  Name 
St.  Peter's,  St.  Patrick's,  and  St.  Joseph's  churches 
established.  Recruiting  for  Mexican  war  kept  town  in 
ferment.  First  levy  for  special  assessments  made. 

1847- 

River  and  Harbor  convention  met  in  Chicago. 
Rice's  theater  first  opened.  First  law  school  opened, 
and  first  patients  received  in  hospital. 

1848. 

First  telegram  received  in  Chicago  from  Milwaukee 
on  April  15.  April  10  the  first  boat  passed  through  the 
Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal.  October  25,  an  engine  and 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


21 


two  cars  were  run  over  the  first  five  miles  of  track  of 
the  Galena  railroad.  First  session  of  the  new  United 
States  court  was  held.  An  epidemic  of  smallpox 
reigned  and  vaccination  was  general. 

1849 

Storms  and  flood  damage  shipping  to  the  extent  of 
$100,000.  Waters  of  Desplaines  and  Chicago  rivers 
unite  in  great  flood,  which  tears  away  all  bridges.  Tre- 
mont  house  again  burned,  together  with  twenty  other 
buildings.  Another  epidemic  of  cholera  and  thirty 
deaths  occur  on  one  day.  Panic  among  banks.  Presi- 
dential vote,  3,832. 

1850 

Galena  and  Chicago  Union  Railroad  opened  to 
Elgin.  First  gas  is  turned  on  in  city  mains.  First 
opera  is  given.  First  streets  paved  with  planks, 
Stephen  A.  Douglas  made  his  great  speech.  Federal 
census  gives  Chicago  29,963  population. 

1851 

Trouble  with  Michigan  Southern  Railroad  over  its 
contentions  of  prior  rights  into  Chicago  was  settled 
in  an  opinion  by  Douglas,  which  declared  that  the  Illi- 
nois Central  and  the  Rock  Island  roads  were  entitled 
to  come  into  the  city  over  their  own  tracks  to  their  own 

terminals. 

1852. 

Chicago's  first  big  loan  floated  for  $250,000  for 
building  the  new  waterworks.  First  train  is  run  into  the 
city  over  the  Michigan  Southern,  arriving  in  Chicago, 
February  20.  First  train  on  Michigan  Central  arrives 
May  ,!2i.  City  waterworks  operated  for  first  time. 
Northwestern  University  is  located  in  Chicago,  and 
superintendent  of  public  schools  appointed.  Presiden- 
tial vote,  5,024. 

1853. 

Chicago  had  its  first  labor  strike.  New  courthouse 
is  occupied.  Ole  Bull  given  an  ovation.  Wreck  at 
Grand  Crossing  in  collision  between  Michigan  South- 
ern and  Galena  road,  killed  eighteen  persons.  Douglas 
hooted  down  while  attempting  to  speak  in  defense  of 
Kansas-Nebraska  bill. 

1854- 

First  train  on  the  Chicago  and  Rock  Island  road 
arrived  June  5.  Illinois  Central  makes  Chicago  head- 
quarters instead  of  St.  Louis.  Cholera  epidemic. 

1855. 

First  train  on  Chicago,  Burlington  &  Quincy  Rail- 
road run  as  far  as  Burlington,  Iowa,  May  30.  Main 
road  of  Illinois  Central  completed.  Attempt  to  enforce 
Sunday  law  caused  riot,  one  man  killed  and  several 
wounded.  First  state  agricultural  fair  held  October  9, 
on  the  canal  near  Blue  Island  avenue.  Nearly  1,500 
deaths  occurred  from  cholera. 


1856. 

First  high  school  opened.  The  Chicago  Historical 
society  organized.  First  ordinance  for  street  railway 
on  State  street  from  Randolph  to  southern  limit  of  city 
passed.  First  sewers  are  laid  and  first  iron  bridge  is 
swung  across  Rush  street.  Present  grade  level  of  street 


GREAT    NORTHERN    BUILDING. 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


was  established  after  strong  opposition.  First  direct 
clearance  for  European  ports  by  the  schooner  Dean 
Richmond.  First  steam  tug  in  the  river.  Presidential 
vote,  11,615. 

1857- 

Great  financial  crisis,  banks  in  panic  and  city  orders 
went  to  protest.  Great  fire  in  South  Water  and  Lake 
streets,  caused  $500,000  loss.  McVicker's  theater  first 
opened.  Population  93,000,  and  Chicago  recognized 
as  the  metropolis  of  the  Northwest. 

1858. 

The  first  street  car  was  run  in  State  street  and  the 
first  paid  fire  department  was  organized. 

1860. 

Steamboat  Lady  Elgin  was  lost  on  September  8, 
and  293  persons  perished.  The  United  States  census 
gave  Chicago  a  population  of  109,260.  The  presiden- 
tial vote  was  18.985. 

1861. 

The  famous  Camp  Douglas  was  established  at 
Cottage  Grove  avenue  and  Thirty-ninth  street,  at  the 
outbreak  of  the  war  of  the  rebellion. 

1862. 
The  first  internal  revenue  collector  was  appointed. 

1863. 

The  city  limits  are  extended  to  include  Bridgeport 
and  Holstein.  Up  to  this  time  400  miles  of  street  had 
been  improved  and  twenty-nine  miles  had  been  grav- 
eled. 

1864. 

Work  was  begun  on  the  first  water  tunnel  at  the 
land  shaft  March  17.  Special  assessments  were  tied  up 
for  a  year  by  court  proceedings  against  the  la\v. 

1865. 

The  first  tunnel  crib  was  launched  July  24.  The 
Union  Stock  Yards  were  opened  for  business  and  the 
first  fire-alarm  telegraph  was  installed. 

1867. 

Lake  water  tunnel  was  completed  and  the  pumping 
station  and  tower  at  Chicago  avenue  was  built. 

1869. 

Great  celebration  held  over  the  completion  of  the 
Washington  Street  tunnel.  Courthouse  built  in  1851 
was  enlarged  by  the  addition  of  two  wings  and  another 
story.  The  park  act  was  passed.  Total  tax  was  $3,990,- 
373  and  the  bonded  debt  $7,882,500. 

1870. 

Bonded  debt  is  increased  to  $11,041,000.  United 
States  census  gave  Chicago  a  population  of  306,605. 

1871. 

The  great  fire  occurred  on  October  7,  8,  9,  10  and 
1 1 ,  causing  a  loss  of  $290,000.000.  Nearly  twenty 


thousand  buildings  were  destroyed.  On  the  West  Side 
194  acres  were  burned  over,  on  the  South  Side  460 
acres,  and  on  the  North  Side  1,470  acres.  The  La  Salle 
Street  tunnel  was  dedicated. 

1872. 

Over  $30,000,000  is  spent  in  rebuilding  the  city. 
Great  influx  of  population  because  of  labor  required  in 
building. 

1873- 

Great  rebuilding  operations  continued.  Financial 
panic  which  affected  the  whole  country  struck  Chicago. 
The  United  States  sub-treasury  established.  Public 
library  opened. 

1880. 

Federal  census  gave  Chicago  a  population  of  over  a 
half  a  million  or  503,185. 

1882. 

Cable  trains  first  installed  and  operated  on  the  Chi- 
cago City  Railway,  in  State  street  and  Wabash  avenue. 

1883. 

Present  city  hall  and  county  building  were  com- 
pleted. 

1885. 

First  investigation  made  for  building  drainage  canal. 

1886. 

Serious  riots  led  by  the  anarchists  took  place  in 
Haymarket  square  on  the  West  Side,  many  policemen 
were  killed  by  the  explosion  of  a  bomb. 

1889. 

Sanitary  district  of  Chicago  organized  and  the  build- 
ing of  the  great  drainage  canal  planned.  • 

1890. 

Chicago's  population  passed  the  million  mark  and 
according  to  the  federal  census  the  city  became  the 
second  in  size  in  the  United  States,  with  1,105,540 
inhabitants.  Sanitary  district  organized. 

1892. 

Columbian  Exposition  built  in  Jackson  Park.  First 
elevated  railroad  put  in  operation.  Ground  broken  for 
the  building  of  the  drainage  canal.  Rockefeller  rejuve- 
nates the  University  of  Chicago. 

1893. 

World's  fair  opened  and  broke  all  records  for 
magnitude  and  attendance. 

1894. 

Great  strike  inaugurated  by  the  American  Railway 
union  under  Eugene  V.  Debbs.  President  Cleveland 
called  out  federal  troops  to  assist  police  and  Illinois 
National  guard  in  maintaining  order.  Moore  Brothers 
become  involved  through  operation  in  Diamond  Match 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


23 


and    National    Biscuit    stock,    and    fail    for   $5,000,000, 
causing  temporary  closing  of  Chicago  Stock  exchange. 

1896. 

Greatest  political  parade  in  history  when  100.000 
sound-money  Republicans  and  Democrats  get  into  line. 

1897. 

New  Public  Library  building  dedicated.  Joseph 
Leiter  forces  a  corner  in  wheat  and  runs  up  the  price  to 
$1.87  a  bushel  on  Board  of  Trade.  Failure  followed  in 
which  his  losses  aggregated  over  $5,000,000.  Levi  Z. 
Leiter  comes  to  his  relief  and  makes  complete  settle- 
ment. 

1898. 

Union  Elevated  loop  built. 

1899. 

Drainage  canal  is  dedicated  and  water  is  turned  into 
the  channel.  Corner  stone  of  the  new  postoffice  and  fed- 
eral building  is  laid  by  President  McKinley,  October  9. 

1900. 

Federal  census  gives  the  population  of  Chicago  as 
1,698,575.  Formal  opening  of  drainage  canal  Janu- 
ary 17. 


1901. 

George  H.  Phillips  cornered  May  corn  and  ran  price 
up  to  sixty  cents  a  bushel.  Chicago  teachers  federation 
get  supreme  court  decision  for  taxing  property  of  cor- 
porations on  same  basis  as  property  of  individuals. 

1902. 
Movement  for  new  city  charter  begun  in  October. 

1903. 

Centennial  celebration  of  the  founding  of  Chicago 
and  the  building  of  Fort  Dearborn.  New  Iroquois 
theater  pronounced  absolutely  fireproof  burned,  and 
575  men,  women  and  children  suffocated  and  burned 
to  death. 

1904. 

Theaters  all  closed  as  result  of  Iroquois  fire.  Mayor 
Harrison,  building  commissioner  and  theater  officials 
held  to  grand  jury.  New  building  ordinance  passed  pro- 
viding for  complete  fire  protection  in  theaters  and  public 
buildings.  Orchestra  hall,  permanent  home  for  Thomas 
Orchestra,  dedicated. 

1905. 

Theodore  Thomas  died  in  January.  General  team- 
sters strike. 


FLORAL    DISPLAY,    HUMBOLDT    PARK. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


THE  GROWTH  AND  THE  MAYORS  OF  CHICAGO. 


municipality  of  Chicago  has 
never  fully  kept  up  with  its  tre- 
mendous growth  in  commerce  and 
population.  The  civic  problems 
presented  have  no  sooner  been 
solved  than  others  have  developed. 
At  the  beginning  of  the  city's  sec- 
ond century  it  is  still  struggling  for 
a  wider  and  more  comprehensive 
city  government  and  for  a  munici- 
pal machinery  capable  of  handling  its  affairs.  The 
movement  for  the  new  city  charter,  begun  in  Octo- 
ber, 1902,  has  as  yet  (1905)  borne  but  little  fruit. 
That  Chicago  will  come  into  her  own  by  securing  an 
adequate  municipal  code  of  laws  and  schemes  of  gov- 
ernment is  a  promise  of  the  near  future.  The  demand 
for  such  a  charter  is  becoming  more  urgent  every  year, 
and  in  the  gradual  process  of  evolution  such  a  plan  will 
be  worked  out  as  will  give  the  city  a  municipal  machin- 
ery consistent  with  its  greatness. 

Chicago  first  became  a  municipal  entity  on  February 
11,  1835,  when  the  original  Town  of  Chicago  was  incor- 
porated. Its  boundaries  at  that  time  were  Twelfth 
street  on  the  south,  Halsted  street  on  the  west,  and 
Chicago  aveune  on  the  north.  The  three  sections  of 
the  city  even  at  that  early  day  were  grouped  about  the 
Chicago  river.  On  March  4,  1837,  the  City  of  Chicago 
was  incorporated  and  the  limits  extended  to  Twenty- 
second  street  on  the  south,  Wood  street  on  the  west, 
and  North  avenue  on  the  north.  The  territory 
embraced  within  the  original  city  limits  was  10.635 
square  miles  and  the  population  4.170.  At  the  end  of 
the  city's  first  century  it  had  grown  in  territory  to 
190.638  square  miles,  and  contained  approximately 
2,000,000  inhabitants. 

In  the  first  ten  years  the  city  quadrupled  in  popula- 
tion and  spread  out  further  and  further  from  the  down- 


town business  center.  On  February  16,  1847,  tne 
annexation  to  the  city  was  made,  consisting  of  3.275 
square  miles  of  territory  lying  along  the  western 
boundary  between  Wood  street  and  Western  avenue. 
It  also  included  the  original  tract  from  which  Lincoln 
park  has  been  developed.  The  second  extension  came 
five  years  later,  the  city  having  in  the  meantime 
increased  to  a  population  of  over  60,000.  The  additions 
were  made  to  all  sides  of  the  city,  south,  west  and  north. 
This  increase  was  a  little  less  than  four  square  miles. 
From  then  on  until  after  the  war  Chicago  began  to 
grow  by  leaps  and  bounds.  By  1860  the  city  had  gone 
beyond  the  100,000  mark,  and  on  February  13,  1863 
the  boundaries  were  again  extended  in  all  directions, 
on  the  south  to  Thirty-ninth  street,  on  the  west  to 
Western  avenue  and  on  the  north  to  Fullerton  avenue, 
the  area  taken  in  aggregating  6.284  square  miles,  giving 
the  city  150,000  inhabitants.  Six  years  later  large  addi- 
tions were  made  to  the  west  and  northwest  sides,  the 
boundaries  on  the  west  being  extended  to  Fortieth  ave- 
nue. The  increase  in  territory  at  this  time  was  11.38 
square  miles,  making  a  total  area  of  35,562  squqare 
miles,  an  increase  in  area  of  250  per  cent  since  1837. 
The  population  by  this  time  had  reached  the  quarter- 
million  mark.  In  1887  one  square  mile  of  the  township 
of  Jefferson  was  annexed  to  the  northwest  and  two  years 
later  another  square  mile  of  the  same  township  was 
added  and  the  western  boundaries  were  extended  to 
Forty-sixth  avenue  and  Forty-eighth  avenue.  This 
made  the  total  area  of  the  city,  on  April  29,  1889,  43.712 
square  miles.  The  population  of  the  city  proper  and  its 
adjoining  suburbs  had  reached  the  million  mark.  On 
July  15,  1889,  Chicago's  greatest  gain  in  area  was  made. 
On  the  south  the  great  village  of  Hyde  Park  was 
annexed,  the  town  of  Lake  was  taken  in  to  the  north- 
west, part  of  Cicero  to  the  west,  the  town  of  Jefferson  to 
the  northwest  and  the  city  of  Lakeview  to  the  north,  a 


24 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


25 


total  of  126.07  °f  square  miles  of  territory  being  added 
to  the  city.  This  brought  the  total  up  to  169.782  square 
miles  and  gave  the  city  a  population  of  approximately 
1,100,000  inhabitants.  Since  then  numerous  small 
additions  have  been  made,  the  outlying  suburbs  being 
admitted  whenever  they  knocked  for  admission.  These 
annexations  were  made  in  the  order  named :  The  village 
of  Gano  to  the  south  in  the  Calumet  district,  South 
Englewood,  Washington  Heights  and  West  Roseland, 
admitted  during  the  year  1890;  the  village  of  Fernwood 
admitted  in  1891 ;  the  village  of  Westridge  and  Rogers 
Park  and  Norwood  Park  in  1893;  part  of  the  town  of 
Calumet  in  1895  and  Cicero  and  a  part  of  Austin  in 
1899.  This  last  addition  brought  the  total  area  up  to 
190.638  square  miles. 

Chicago's  longest  distance,  from  One  Hundred  and 
Thirty-eighth  street  on  the  south  to  Howard  avenue  in 
Rogers  Park  on  the  north,  is  25.5  miles.  From  the 
Indiana  boundary  line  at  One  Hundred  and  First  street 
and  the  lake,  the  shore  line  north  to  Howard  avenue, 
including  all  indentations,  is  exactly  134,801  feet  or 
25.23  miles.  The  city's  greatest  width  from  east  to  west 
is  at  Seventy-eighth  street,  the  distance  from  the  shore  to 
Forty-eighth  avenue  being  10.5  miles.  The  greatest 
width  on  the  North  Side  is  at  North  avenue.  From  the 
shore  line  to  North  Seventy-second  avenue  on  the  west 
is  9.25  miles.  Western  avenue  is  the  longest  street  in 


the  city,  extending  from  One  Hundred  and  Seventh 
street  on  the  south  to  Howard  avenue  on  the  north  for 
a  distance  of  22.16  miles.  Ashland  avenue  if  cut 
through  between  the  same  points  would  be  the  same 
length.  From  One  Hundred  and  Fifteenth  street  to  One 
Hundred  and  Twenty-third  street,  Ashland  avenue  forms 
the  western  boundary  of  the  city  for  one  mile,  which 
if  added  to  it  would  make  it  23.16  miles  long.  Halsted 
street  comes  next.  Beginning  at  Calumet  river  at  about 
One  Hundred  and  Thirty-second  street  and  extending  to 
the  lake  on  the  north  it  covers  a  distance  of  approxi- 
mately 21.4  miles. 

As  to  the  population  at  the  present  time  (1905)  there 
seems  to  be  no  accurate  information.  That  it  is  well 
over  the  two  million  mark  is  generally  admitted.  The 
estimates  for  1904  varied  all  the  way  from  1,714,144  to 
2,241,000.  The  school  census  was  taken  as  the  basis 
for  the  first  estimate  and  the  city  directory  for  the  latter. 
The  census  bureau  in  Washington  for  1905  gave  the 
estimate  of  Chicago  at  over  1,900,000.  In  compiling 
the  city's  vital  statistics  for  1904,  the  health  department 
used  as  a  basis  the  mid-year  estimate  of  1,932,315  inhab- 
itants. That  it  is  well  over  the  two  million  mark  is 
believed  by  many  competent  judges. 

The  last  federal  census  taken  in  1900  shows  Chi- 
cago's population  to  be  divided  in  point  of  nationality 
as  follows :  German,  including  those  whose  parents  were 


HUMBOLDT   PARK. 


THE    CITY    01'    CHICAGO. 


born  in  Germany,  hut  themselves  in  America,  534,083 ; 
Irish,  figured  on  the  same  basis,  254,914;  native  Ameri- 
cans whose  parents  were  also  American,  384,122.  The 


Colored,  30,150;  Austrians,  29,760:  Scotch.  28,529; 
French,  21,026.  The  rest  of  Chicago's  cosmopolitan 
population  is  made  up  of  from  nearly  every  people  on  the 


native  population  of  persons  horn  in  the  United  States  face  of  the  earth.  China,  India,  Finland,  Japan,  Rouma- 
was  1,111,463.  Of  these  769,882  were  horn  in  Illinois,  nia.  Turkey,  Wales,  Switzerland,  Hungary,  Greece  and 
This  leaves  727,341  who  were  of  foreign  birth.  Of  this  the  Islands  of  the  Sea  are  all  represented. 


CHICAGO   STOCK    EXCHANGE  BUILDING. 

number  170,738  were  born  in  Germany  and  73,912  in  Chicago's  city  government  consists  of  the  following 

Ireland.     Other  nationalities  are  represented  as  follows  elective  officers,  all  chosen  for  a  period  of  two  years: 

by  those  of  foreign  birth  and  whose  parents  were  of  Mayor,    city   clerk,    city    attorney,    city   treasurer,    and 

foreign  birth:    Swedes,  144,719;  Poles,  167,383;  Bohe-  city  council,  consisting  of  seventy  alderman,  two   for 

mians,  109,224;  Norwegians,  59.898;  English,  72,876:  each  of  the  thirty-five  wards  of  the  city.     The  mayor 

Russians,  61.974;  Canadians,  48,304:  Italians,  42.054;  receives  a  salary  of  $10,000  a  year,  and  the  city  clerk 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


27 


and  city  attorney  each  $5,000.  and  the  city  treasurer  25 
per  cent  of  the  interest  allowed  by  the  banks  on  the 
city's  deposits.  The  aldermen  are  each  paid  $1,500  a 
year.  Half  of  the  aldermen  are  elected  each  spring. 

The  total  appropriation  for  the  city  for  1905  aggre- 
gated $34,084.910.  Of  this  amount  $23,525,193  was 
set  aside  for  city  purposes,  $10,159,717  for  schools  and 
$400,000  for  the  libraries.  The  expenditure  for  city  pur- 
poses for  the  year  ending  December  31,  1904, 
aggregated  $22,806,949.  The  general  government  of 
the  city  for  1904,  including  all  the  departments  outside 
of  the  public  safety  and  public  works  department,  cost 
$2,033,255.  For  public  safety  was  spent  $6,074,369. 
Under  this  head  come  the  police  department  and  minor 
courts,  the  house  of  correction,  the  fire  department, 
health  department,  hospitals,  public  pounds  and  munic- 
ipal lodging  houses.  The  public  works  department  for 
1904  spent  $8,449,049.  Under  this  head  come  the 
bureau  of  streets,  sewers,  local  improvements,  electricity 
and  water  works.  For  public  recreation  and  art  was 
spent  $20,201.31.  This  was  mainly  devoted  to  public 
play  grounds.  It  cost  the  city  to  pay  its  judgments  and 
damage  claims,  $5,1 18,897  f°r  I9°4- 

The  total  bonded  debt  of  Chicago  outstanding 
December  31,  1904,  was  $22,618,000.  This  showed  an 
increase  of  $7,495,000  over  the  preceding  year.  During 
1904  judgment  funding  bonds  aggregating  $5,225,000 
and  permanent  improving  bonds  of  $3,000,000  were 
issued. 

The  city  of  Chicago  in  its  general  government,  pub- 
lic safety,  public  works,  water  works,  board  of  education 
and  miscellaneous  departments  employed  during  1904 
17,029  persons,  to  whom  was  paid  in  salaries  $16,270,- 
007.24.  The  greatest  share  of  this  was  paid  for  educa- 
tion, $6,386,957  being  the  salary  list  of  Chicago's 
school  teachers.  Public  safety  cost  in  salaries  alone 
$5,332,969,  three-fifths  of  this  amount  going  to  the 
police  department. 

The  city  owns  341  school  buildings,  containing  4,905 
rooms.  The  value  of  these  structures,  with  their  sites 
and  furniture,  is  $31.135.900.  The  board  of  education 
besides  this  rents  buildings  containing  138  rooms. 
This  gives  a  seating  capacity  of  252,324.  The  board 
has  under  construction  nineteen  new  school  buildings, 
costing  $2,735,000,  including  414  class  rooms.  The 
usual  seating  capacity  per  room  is  forty-eight  pupils. 
The  construction  of  forty-two  new  school  buildings  to 
cost  $5,300,000,  and  containing  658  class  rooms,  have 
been  ordered  built.  The  value  of  the  board's  property 
other  than  that  used  for  school  purposes  is  $9,221,- 

457-33- 

The  total  enrollment  of  schools  for  the  school  year 
ending  in  June,  1905.  was  282,346.  Of  this  number 
142,210  were  boys  and  140,136  were  girls.  The  percent- 


age of  attendance  was  94.4.  and  the  total  membership 
of  the  schools  at  the  close  of  the  school  year  was  234,733, 
divided  as  follows:  Normal  school,  288.  high  schools, 
IO-356,  grammar  department,  76.370,  primary  depart- 
ment, 138,429,  kindergarten,  9.1 1 1,  and  schools  for  the 
deaf,  179.  The  total  number  of  teachers  employed  at 
the  end  of  the  school  year  was  5.716,  or  about  one  for 
forty-one  pupils.  The  work  of  the  schools  in  citizenship 
building  is  shown  by  the  number  of  pupils  in  elementary 
grades  studying  manual  training,  cooking  and  sewing, 
cooking  being  studied  at  the  end  of  the  year  by  6,818, 
sewing  by  6,782  and  manual  training  by  12,480  pupils. 

The  police  force  consists  of  3,135  men  in  uniform 
service,  to  whom  are  paid  $3.331,147  in  salaries  every 
year.  There  are  1,275  members  of  the  fire  department, 
who  are  paid  $1,523,212.  The  employees  of  the  public 
works  department  number  2,914,  and  the  salary  list 
amounts  to  $2,603,331  annually.  The  water-works 
department  employs  1,426  men  at  an  annual  cost  of 
$1,207,402.  The  water  system  consists  of  ten  pumping 
stations,  five  lake  cribs  with  37.7  miles  of  lake  and  land 
tunnels  leading  to  the  pumping  stations.  The  water 
mains  aggregated  1,978  miles  in  1895,  and  the  total  cost 
of  the  system  up  to  that  time  was  approximately  $37,- 
000,000.  In  1904  the  water  pumped  by  the  various 
stations  in  Chicago  aggregated  146,280,598,353  gallons 
and  the  total  revenue  of  the  water  system  amounted  to 
$4,000,462.  In  connection  with  the  water-works  sys- 
tem the  city  maintains  seven  free  public  baths  for  men, 
women  and  children.  During  1904,  944,979  baths  were 
furnished.  The  city  maintains  24,775  gas  lights,  6,386 
gasoline  lights  and  5,724  electric  lights,  aggregating 
in  all  36,890  lights.  This  furnishes  illumination  equal  to 
12,849,400  candle  power.  Up  to  January  i,  1905,  the 
city  had  built  8,543,055  feet  of  sewers  at  a  cost  of  $23,- 
394,793.  During  that  time  222,000  house  drains  were 
put  in.  The  length  of  the  intercepting  sewers  planned 
as  an  auxiliary  system  to  the  drainage  canal  amounts 
to  86,642  feet,  to  cost  in  the  aggregate,  together  with 
large  pumping  stations  at  Thirty-ninth  street  on  the 
south  and  Lawrence  avenue  on  the  north,  $5,000.000. 
Up  to  January  i,  1905.  the  greater  part  had  been 
completed  at  a  cost  of  $4,000,000. 

In  track  elevation  Chicago  leads  the  world.  Plans 
have  been  drawn  for  the  elevation  of  709.95  miles  of 
track,  of  which  138.10  are  main  track,  to  cost  $51,860,- 
250.  Of  this  amount  on  January  i,  1905,  425.19  miles 
has  been  elevated,  of  which  82.84  were  main  tracks.  Of 
the  735  subways  to  be  constructed  360  has  been  com- 
pleted. The  total  cost  of  this  work  has  been  $28,725,- 
250,  borne  entirely  by  the  railroads.  The  cost  of  the 
track  elevation  still  to  be  done  will  aggregate  $23,- 
135,000. 


28 


THE    CITY    OF   CHICAGO. 


These  statistics  show  briefly  the  physical  growth  of 
the  municipality  of  Chicago.  In  the  following  chapters 
are  presented  in  detail  the  scope  of  some  of  the  more 
important  departments. 

The  population,  value  of  property  for  purposes  of 
taxation,  the  taxes  collected  and  the  debt  of  the  city 
since  its  incorporation  in  1837  follow: 


DATE. 

Population. 

Total 
Valuation. 

Total  Tax. 

Bonded 
Indebtedness. 

1837 

4.  17O 

$  236,842 

$  5,905 

1838 

235,996 

8,849 

$  *  9,996 

1839 

94,803 

4,664 

*  7,182 

1840 
1841 

4.479 

94.437 
166,747 

4.721 
10,004 

*  6,559 

•12,387 

1842 

151,342 

9,181 

*i6,  372 

1843 
1844 
1845 
1846 
1847 
1848 
1849 
1850 
1851 

7,580 

12,088 
14,169 
16,859 
20,023 

23,047 
28,269 

J,44I,3M 
2,763,281 
3,065,022 
4,521,056 
5,849,190 
6,300,440 
6,676,684 
7,222,249 
8,562,717 

8,647 
17,166 
11,077 
15,825 
18,159 
22,051 

30.045 
25,270 
63  385 

'12,655 

*  9,795 
*io,6gi 
'16,045 
*I3,I79 
*2o,338 
*36,333 
93-395 

1852 

1853 
1854 

1855 
1856 
1857 

48,000 
60,652 
75,000 
80,000 
84,"3 

10,463,414 
16,841,831 
24,392,239 
20,992,873 
31,736,084 
36,335,281 

76,948 
135,662 
499,081 
206,209 
396,652 
572,046 

126,035 
189,670 
248,666 
328,000 
435,000 
535,000 

1858 

35,991,732 

430  190 

1859 

36,553,380 

543,614 

1,855,000 

i860 
1861 

109,206 

37,053,512 
36,352,  380 

573,315 
550  968 

2,336,000 
2,362,000 

1862 
1863 

138,186 

37,139,845 

42.677  ^24 

564,038 
Szi  346 

3,028,000 

3.422  ^OO 

1864 
1865 
1866 
1867 

169,353 
178,492 
200,418 

48,732,782 
64,709,177 
85,953,250 
195,026,844 

974,665 
1,294,183 
1,719,064 
2,518  472 

3,544,500 
3,701,000 

4,3D9,500 
4,757  500 

1868 
1869 

252,054 

230,247,000 
266  92O,OOO 

3,223,457 
3,990,  373 

6,484,500 
7,882  500 

1870 
1871 

306,605 

275.986,550 
289  746,470 

4,139,798 
2  807  564 

11,041,000 

1872 
1873 

367,396 

283,197,430 

312  072  995 

4,262,961 
5.617  3i  3 

13,544.000 

13  478  ooo 

1874 
1875 

395.408 

303,705,140 
173,764,246 

5,466,692 
5,108,981 

13,456,000 

13,457  ooo 

1876 
1877 

407,661 

168,037,178 
148,400,  148 

4,046,805 
4,013  410 

13,436,000 
13  364  ooo 

1878 
1879 

436.731 

131,981,436 
117,970  135 

3*778,856 

3  776  888 

1  3.°57,  00° 

1880 
1881 

503,298 

117,133,643 
119  151,951 

3,899,126 

4  I  l6  7O8 

12,752,000 

1882 
1883 

560,693 

125.358.537 

132  2^O  SO4 

4,227,402 

12,752,000 

1884 
1885 

629,985 

137,326,980 

4,872,456 

12,751,500 

1886 
1887 

693,861 

158,496,132 
161,204,535 

5,368,409 
5,602  712 

12,588,500 

12  588  500 

1888 
1889 

802,651 

160,641,727 
2OI,  104,019 

5.723,067 

6  326  561 

12,561,500 

1890 
1891 

1,105,540 

219,354,368 

256,599,  574 

9.558,334 
10,453  270 

13,545,40° 

I  3  Kao  "*<;O 

1892 

1893 
1894 

1,438,010 
1.567,727 

243.732,138 
245.790,395 

12,  142,448 
11,810.969 

18,515.450 
18,427,450 

1895 
1896 

1,616,635 

243,476,825 

14,239,685 

17,188,950 

1897 

232  O26  66O 

12  Q^Q  *** 

1898 
1899 

11,851,588 

220,966,447 

I2,2O7.9O6 

19.922,460 

1900 
1901 

Ji,  698,575 

276,565,880 

17,086,408 

16,328,450 

1902 

1903 
1904 

1,873,880 

411,424,280 

14,815,388 

15,123.000 

1905 

2,000,000 

Floating  liabilities. 


School  census. 


U.  S.  census. 


THE   MAYORS   OF   CHICAGO. 

Since  1836  Chicago  has  had  forty-eight  mayoralty 
terms,  which  have  been  filled  by  thirty-two  individuals. 
It  is  a  little  peculiar  that  ten  men  filled  twenty-six  of 
these  forty-eight  terms,  and  that  twenty-two  men  filled 
the  other  twenty-two.  B.  W.  Raymond  served  two 
terms;  Augustus  Garrett  two  terms;  James  Curtis  two 
terms;  W.  S.  Gurney  two  terms;  John  Wentworth 
two  terms ;  F.  C.  Sherman  three  terms ;  John  B.  Rice 
two  terms;  Monroe  Heath  two  terms;  Carter  H.  Harri- 
son (the  first)  five  terms,  and  Carter  H.  Harrison  (the 
second)  four  terms. 

William  B.  Ogden,  the  first  mayor  of  Chicago,  was 
born  in  Delaware  County,  New  York,  in  1805.  In  1834 
he  was  a  member  of  the  New  York  Legislature  and  took 
an  active  part  in  legislation  in  behalf  of  the  Erie  Canal, 
being  an  earnest  advocate  of  that  enterprise.  He  came 
to  Chicago  in  1835  and  became  extensively  interested  in 
real  estate,  and  was  one  of  the  few  men  who  weathered 
the  great  financial  crash  of  1837.  He  was  for  many 
years  prominent  in  all  important  movements  in  Chi- 
cago, but  later  returned  to  New  York  City,  where  he 
made  his  home  until  the  day  of  his  death,  which  occurred 
August  3,  1877. 

Buckner  S.  Morris,  the  second  mayor  of  Chicago, 
elected  in  1838,  was  a  Kentuckian  and  settled  in  this 
city  to  practice  law  in  1834.  In  1840  he  and  Abraham 
Lincoln  were  chosen  by  the  Whig  convention  as  can- 
didates for  state  electors,  and  in  1860  he  was  a  candidate 
for  governor  of  the  state.  In  1864  he  was  arrested, 
among  others,  for  conspiracy  to  release  the  rebel  pris- 
oners at  Camp  Douglas,  but  was  honorably  acquitted. 

Benjamin  W.  Raymond,  the  third  mayor,  and  also 
the  sixth,  being  elected  in  1839  and  afterward  in  1842 
was  born  in  New  York  City,  and  came  to  this  city  in 
1836.  He  erected  the  first  woolen  factory  in  the  state 
at  Elgin,  and  was  afterward  prominent  in  establishing 
the  Elgin  National  Watch  Company.  Mr.  Raymond 
was  one  of  the  pioneers  in  developing  Lake  Forest  as 
a  suburb  of  Chicago. 

Alexander  Lloyd,  fourth  mayor,  was  elected  on  the 
Democratic  ticket  in  1840,  and  was  a  prominent  figure 
in  politics  of  the  day. 

Francis  C.  Sherman  was  the  fifth  mayor  and  was 
twice  afterward  elected  to  the  same  office,  being  the 
twenty-sixth  and  twenty-seventh,  his  elections  taking 
place  in  1841,  1862  and  1863.  He  came  to  Chicago  in 
1834;  began  business  in  a  small  frame  hotel  on  Randolph 
street,  near  Fifth  avenue.  In  1860  he  built  the  Sherman 
House.  For  a  long  period  he  was  prominent  in  the 
affairs  of  the  city. 

Augustus  Garrett  was  seventh  and  ninth  mayor,  hav- 
ing been  elected  in  1843  and  1845.  He  came  to  Chi- 
cago in  1836  a  very  poor  man,  but  amassed  a  large 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


29 


fortune  before  his  death,  which  took  place  in  1848.  He 
bequeathed  a  large  portion  of  his  estate  to  found  the 
Garrett  Biblical  Institute  of  Evanston. 

Alson  Smith  Sherman  was  the  eighth  mayor, 
elected  in  1844.  He  was  born  in  Barre,  Vermont,  April 
21,  1811,  was  married  February  26,  1833,  and  arrived  in 
Chicago  November  i,  1836.  He  was  a  successful 
builder,  making  a  specialty  of  masonry,  and  erected 
many  of  the  early  buildings  of  Chicago.  He  was  a  pub- 
lic-spirited man,  was  elected  alderman  twice,  one  time 
chief  of  the  fire  department,  ten  years  on  the  board  of 
water  commissioners  and  also  school  trustee.  He  was 
one  of  the  organizers-  of  the  Illinois  Stone  &  Lime  Corn- 


in  1833.  He  was  a  member  of  the  legislature  in  1842, 
was  elected  to  Congress  in  1854  and  assisted  Stephen  A. 
Douglas  in  obtaining  the  appropriation  for  the  Chicago 
postoffice  and  customhouse. 

Walter  S.  Gurnee  was  the  fifteenth  and  sixteenth 
mayor,  being  elected  in  1851  and  1852.  He  was  a 
prominent  man  for  many  years  in  Chicago,  and  one  of 
the  original  directors  of  the  Board  of  Trade. 

Charles  M.  Gray,  the  seventeenth  mayor  of  Chicago, 
was  elected  in  1853.  He  was  a  pioneer  in  the  manufac- 
turing of  farming  implements. 

Isaac  L.  Milliken,  the  eighteenth  mayor  (1854), 
began  his  career  as  a  blacksmith,  served  two  terms  in 


HUMBOLDT   PARK. 


pany.  He  retired  from  business  in  1873,  and  resided  at 
Waukegan  until  his  death  in  September,  1904. 

John  P.  Chapin,  the  tenth  mayor,  elected  in  1846, 
was  a  prominent  commission  merchant.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  city  council  previous  to  his  election  as  mayor. 

James  Curtis,  the  eleventh  mayor,  was  also  the  four- 
teenth mayor,  first  being  elected  in  1847  and  again  in 
1850.  He  was  a  prominent  lawyer,  and.  like  Mr.  Cha- 
pin, represented  his  ward,  the  Third,  in  the  city  council 
previous  to  his  being  made  chief  magistrate. 

James  H.  Woodworth  was  the  twelfth  and  thirteenth 
mayor,  being  elected  in  1848  and  1849.  He  was  born  in 
Washington  County,  New  York,  and  came  to  Chicago 


the  city  council  and  was  on  the  judicial  bench  when 
he  was  elected  mayor. 

Dr.  Levi  D.  Boone  was  the  nineteenth  mayor  of  Chi- 
cago (1855).  He  was  a  grandnephew  of  Kentucky's 
famous  pioneer  of  that  name.  He  came  to  Chicago  in 
1836,  and  was  made  city  physician  in  1848.  He  was 
elected  mayor  in  1855  by  the  native  American  party. 
He  also  was  arrested,  like  Mayor  Morris,  in  1864,  for 
supposed  conspiracy  to  free  the  rebel  prisoners  in  Camp 
Douglas,  but  was  honorably  acquitted. 

Thomas  Dyer,  twentieth  mayor  (1856),  had  been  a 
prominent  citizen  of  Chicago  for  many  years.  In  1848 
he  was  president  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce. 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


John  \Yent\vorth  ("Long-  John")  was  the  twenty- 
first  and  twenty-fourth  mayor,  being  elected  first  in 
1857  and  afterward  in  1860.  He  was  born  at  Sandwich, 
New  Hampshire,  in  1815,  and  came  to  Chicago  in  1836. 
He  soon  became  a  well-known  character.  He  was  a 
lawyer  and  editor.  He  was  a  Democrat,  but  a  strong 
anti-slavery  man,  and  both  times  he  was  mayor  was 
elected  on  the  Republican  ticket.  He  was  a  large  man, 
standing  six  feet,  six  inches  in  his  stockings. 

John  C.  Haines,  the  twenty-second  and  twenty-third 
mayor  (1858  and  1859),  was  born  in  New  York  and 


elected  mayor  in  1865  on  the  ticket  of  the  Union  party, 
and  was  reflected  in  1867. 

Roswell  B.  Mason  was  the  thirtieth  mayor  (1869). 
Mr.  Mason  was  elected  on  a  People's  ticket.  Municipal 
affairs  were  in  bad  shape  and  there  were  charges  of 
corruption  and  peculations  by  officeholders  and  con- 
tractors, and  an  aroused  public  sentiment  brought  about 
an  era  of  reform,  and  Mr.  Mason  was  elected  as  a  reform 
executive. 

Joseph  Medill,  thirty-first  mayor  (1871),  was  elected 
011  the  Fireproof  ticket,  while  the  city  was  still  a  mas.s  of 


DOUGLAS    PARK. 


came  to  Chicago  in  1835.  In  1848  he  was  elected  a 
member  of  the  city  council  and  served  for  six  years. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  constitutional  convention  in 
1869  and  a  member  of  the  Illinois  Senate  in  1874. 

Julian  S.  Rumsey,  twenty-fifth  mayor  (1861),  was 
long  a  prominent  man  in  business  and  municipal  circles 
in  the  city.  He  was  twice  president  of  the  board  and 
occupied  several  important  offices. 

John  B.  Rice,  the  twenty-eighth  and  twenty-ninth 
mayor,  elected  in  1865  and  1867,  settled  in  Chicago  in 
1847.  He  built  a  theater  on  Dearborn  street,  near 
Randolph,  which  was  probably  the  pioneer  playhouse, 
which  he  managed  until  1857.  He  was  nominated  and 


smoking  ruins.  He  was  for  many  years  the  principal 
owner  and  editor  of  the  Chicago  Tribune.  He  was  born 
at  St.  Johns,  New  Brunswick,  of  Scotch-Irish  parentage, 
in  1823.  In  1873  he  relinquished  the  office  of  mayor, 
and  on  account  of  his  health  took  a  trip  to  Europe. 
Lester  L.  Bond  was  elected  by  the  council  to  serve  out 
his  term  of  office,  which  he  did  with  great  credit  under 
embarrassing  circumstances. 

Harvey  D.  Colvin  was  the  thirty-second  mayor 
(1873).  He  was  elected  on  the  People's  ticket.  He  was 
one  of  the  organizers  of  the  United  States  Express 
Company  in  1854,  and  was  a  long  time  its  general  agent 
in  this  city.  His  term  of  office  was  rather  a  stormy  one. 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


31 


Monroe  Heath  was  the  thirty-third  and  thirty-fourth 
mayor  of  Chicago,  being  first  elected  at  a  special  elec- 
tion under  the  amended  charter  of  the  city  in  the  sum- 
mer of  1875,  and  reelected  April,  1877.  He  was  born 
in  New  Hampshire  in  1827  and  came  to  Chicago  in 
1850.  He  was  a  painter  and  a  dealer  in  paint  materials. 
His  firm  was  first  Heath  &  Hurd,  and  afterward  Heath 
&  Milligan.  He  was  a  man  of  good  executive  ability, 
public-spirited,  taking  an  active  part  in  municipal  affairs. 
He  died  at  Asheville,  North  Carolina,  October  21,  1894. 

Carter  H.  Harrison,  the  first,  was  the  thirty-fifth, 
thirty-sixth,  thirty-seventh  and  thirty-eighth  mayor, 
having  been  elected  successively  in  1879,  1881,  1883 
and  1885.  He  was  born  in  Fayette  County,  Kentucky, 
February  25,  1825,  and  came  to  Chicago  in  1855-  He 
did  not  appear  very  much  in  public  matters  until  1871, 
when  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the  board  of  county 
commissioners.  He  soon  became  an  active  and  influen- 
tial member  of  the  board  and  developed  great  popu- 
larity with  the  Democratic  party,  and  was  elected  to 
Congress,  where  he  managed  to  increase  his  popularity 
with  his  party  and  secure  a  stronger  hold  on  the  political 
organization.  In  1879  he  was  first  elected  mayor  of  the 
city,  and,  as  said  before,  was  reelected  three  times,  con- 
tinuing mayor  for  eight  years.  While  he  was  severely 
criticised  during  this  time  for  his  leniency  toward  gam- 
blers and  other  violators  of  the  law,  he  was  very  .success- 
ful in  managing  the  business  and  financial  interests  of  the 
city,  and,  although  a  strong  partisan,  he  never  permitted 
politics  to  interfere  with  the  character  of  the  school 
board,  and  husbanded  the  earnings  of  the  waterworks 
with  great  care,  managing  this  branch  of  the  city's  busi- 
ness successfully.  In  1887  he  was  not  a  candidate  for 
reelection,  but  retired  from  the  field.  In  1893  he  ran 
as  an  independent  candidate  and  was  elected,  defeating 
both  the  Republican  and  regular  Democratic  tickets, 
thus  becoming  the  forty-second  mayor.  He  was  mayor 
at  the  time  of  the  World's  Fair,  and  was  given  great 
credit  for  the  very  satisfactory  manner  in  which  he  per- 
formed the  duties  of  his  office.  In  October  of  that  year, 
just  before  the  close  of  the  World's  Fair,  he  was  assas- 
sinated at  the  door  of  his  house  by  a  half-crazy  imbecile, 
who  imagined  that  he  had  been  slighted  by  the  mayor 
in  not  receiving  some  political  appointment.  Upon  the 
death  of  Mayor  Harrison,  the  city  council  selected 
George  B.  Swift  as  acting  mayor.  A  special  election  for 
mayor,  however,  was  held  in  December.  George  B. 
Swift  was  the  Republican  candidate  and  John  P.  Hop- 
kins the  Democratic  candidate.  Hopkins  was  elected. 

John  A.  Roche,  the  thirty-ninth  mayor,  was  born  in 
Utica,  New  York,  August  12,  1844.  He  came  to  Chi- 
cago in  1869  as  the  representative  of  a  manufacturer  of 
machinery.  \Yhile  Mr.  Roche  was  quite  well  known 


in  business  circles,  still  with  the  people  his  name  was 
quite  new  when  he  was  nominated  in  1887.  He  was 
elected  and  made  a  very  creditable  administration.  He 


JOHN  A.  ROCHE. 


made  political  mistakes,  however,  and  though  renomi- 
nated  in  1889  was  defeated  by  DeWitt  C.  Cregier,  who 
was  at  that  time  the  Democratic  candidate. 

DeWitt  C.  Cregier  was  the  fortieth  mayor,  elected 
in  1889.  He  was  born  in  New  York,  June  i,  1829,  and 
came  to  Chicago  in  1853,  where  he  lived  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  November  9,  1898.  He  had  been  quite 
prominent  in  municipal  affairs.  He  was  for  many  years 
superintendent  of  the  waterworks  of  the  city  and  made 
a  very  efficient  and  satisfactory  officer.  Afterward  he 
was  commissioner  of  public  -works.  He  was  a  promi- 
nent Mason  and  had  as  many  personal  acquaintances  as 
any  man  in  the  city.  His  administration,  however, 
proved  not  only  unsatisfactory  to  his  own  party,  but 
especially  so  to  the  Republicans.  He  did  not  seem  to 
have  the  firm  hand  or  strong  will  of  Mr.  Harrison,  and 
failed  to  keep  the  business  of  his  office  entirely  under  his 
own  control.  Though  he  was  nominated  by  the  Demo- 
cratic convention  for  reelection  in  1891  he  was  defeated. 

Hempstead  Washburne,  son  of  the  Hon.  Elihu 
Washburne,  and  the  forty-first  mayor  of  Chicago,  was 
born  in  Galena,  Illinois,  November  12,  1852.  He  fitted 
for  college,  but  went  abroad  and  entered  the  University 
at  Bonn,  Germany,  in  the  fall  of  1871,  and  remained 
there  two  years,  returning  in  1873,  ancl  began  the  study 
of  law,  graduating  at  the  Union  College  of  Law  in 
Chicago  in  1875.  He  then  entered  actively  into  prac- 


32 


THE    CITY    OP    CHICAGO. 


tice.  In  1885  lie  was  elected  city  attorney  of  Chicago, 
and  in  1887  reflected  to  the  same  office.  In  1891  he 
was  nominated  by  the  Republicans  for  the  office  of 
mayor.  The  administration  of  DeWitt  C.  Cregier,  the 
Democratic  mayor,  had  been  displeasing  to  Democrats 
generally  and  to  Carter  H.  Harrison,  former  mayor, 
especially,  and  upon  Mr.  Cregier's  renomination  Mr. 
Harrison  announced  himself  as  an  independent  candi- 
date. This  divided  the  Democratic  vote  and  elected 
Mr.  Washburne  mayor.  He  was  appointed  one  of  the 
municipal  civil  service  commissioners  in  1897,  but  in 
1898  resigned  the  position.  He  is  still  in  active  busi- 
ness in  the  city. 

John  P.  Hopkins,  the  forty-third  mayor  of  Chicago, 
was  elected  to  that  position  in  December,  1893,  defeat- 
ing George  B.  Swift,  the  Republican  nominee,  both 
being  candidates  for  the  unexpired  term  of  Carter  H. 
Harrison,  who  had  been  assassinated,  as  mentioned 
above.  Mr.  Hopkins  was  the  youngest  man  that  ever 
held  the  position  of  mayor  of  Chicago.  He  was  born 
in  Buffalo,  New  York,  October  29,  1858,  being  just  past 
his  thirty-fifth  year  at  the  time  of  his  election.  His  biog- 
raphers say  that  he  is  a  self-made  man.  His  father  and 
brothers  being  deceased,  he  had  to  start  out  not  only 
to  make  a  living  for  himself,  but  to  take  care  of  his 
mother  and  family.  His  first  employment  as  a  mere 
boy  was  working  in  a  foundry.  Afterward  he  worked 
in  the  grain  elevators  at  Buffalo.  In  1879  he  came  to 
Chicago,  bringing  his  mother  and  sisters  with  him.  For 
a  time  he  worked  irij  the  Pullman  works,  and  in  1883 
became  the -paymaster  of  the  Pullman  interests,  which 
position  he  filled  until  1885.  His  administration  of  the 
office  of  mayor  was  much  more  satisfactory  to  the  Dem- 
ocrats than  to  citizens  generally. 

George  B.  Swift,  the  forty-fourth  mayor  of  Chicago 
and  now  president  of  the  contracting  firm  of  George 
B.  Swift  Company,  was  born  at  Cincinnati,  Ohio, 
December  14,  1845.  While  he  was  an  infant  his  parents 
removed  to  Galena,  Illinois,  whence  the  family  came  to 
Chicago,  in  1862.  He  received  his  education  in  the  old 
Skinner  School,  the  West  Chicago  High  School,  and 
later  at  the  Chicago  University,  from  which  institution 
he  was  graduated  with  credit.  He  then  went  into  busi- 
ness, and  in  1870  became  vice-president  of  the  Frazer 
Lubricator  Company,  which  position  he  still  holds. 
From  1876  he  took  an  active  part  in  local  politics,  serv- 
ing several  terms  in  the  council  and  familiarizing  him- 
self with  the  various  municipal  problems.  During  the 
administration  of  Mayor  Roche,  from  1887  to  1889,  he 
served  as  Commissioner  of  Public  Works.  In  1893  he 
was  nominated  for  mayor  by  the  Republican  party,  for 
the  unexpired  term  of  Carter  H.  Harrison,  who  had 
been  assassinated,  but  was  defeated  by  John  P.  Hopkins, 
the  Democratic  nominee,  by  a  narrow  margin.  He  ran 


again  in  1895,  defeating-  Frank  Wenter  by  a  large 
majority.  When  he  assumed  his  executive  duties  he 
was  thoroughly  familiar  with  local  conditions  and  the 
city's  business  affairs.  He  showed  a  capacity  for  munic- 
ipal management  and  gave  the  city  an  excellent  adminis- 
tration ;  he  created  the  department  system  which  has 
since  proven  a  saving  to  tax-payers.  He  was  popular 
as  a  mayor,  and  served  a  full  term,  but  business  interests 
prevented  his  accepting  a  second  nomination.  He  has 
since  devoted  himself  entirely  to  his  extensive  con- 


GEORGE    B.    SWIFT. 

tracting  and  building  business.  Mr.  Swift  was  married 
in  1868  to  Miss  Lucy  Brown,  daughter  of  Joseph  E. 
Brown,  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Chicago,  who  came  here 
in  1835.  They  have  seven  children,  four  sons  and  three 
daughters.  He  belongs  to  the  Masonic,  Pythian,  Royal 
Arcanum  and  Royal  League  orders,  and  is  a  member  of 
the  Methodist  church. 

Carter  H.  Harrison,  the  son  of  the  former  mayor 
of  the  city,  was  the  forty-fifth,  forty-sixth,  forty-seventh 
and  forty-eighth  mayor  of  Chicago.  He  was  born  in 
this  city  April  23,  1860,  and  so  far  as  records  show  is 
the  only  mayor  of  Chicago  who  was  born  here.  He 
was  graduated  from  the  public  schools  and  from  St. 
Ignatius  College  in  1881.  From  there  he  \vent  to 
Yale  Law  School,  getting  his  degree  in  1883.  He  made 
little  effort  to  practice  his  profession,  but  entered  busi- 
ness with  his  brother.  His  father  purchased  The  Times 
in  1891,  and  his  son  took  charge  of  the  editorial  man- 
agement of  the  paper,  assuming  complete  control  when 
his  father  was  killed  at  the  close  of  the  World's  Fair. 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


Shortly  afterwards  the  paper  was  consolidated  with  the 
Herald.  He  was  first  elected  mayor  April  6,  1897,  and 
re-elected  in  1899,  1901  and  1903. 

Edward  F.  Dunne,  the  forty-eighth  and  present 
mayor  of  Chicago,  is  in  many  ways  the  most  remarkable 
chief  executive  the  city  has  ever  had.  Resigning  his 
place  on  the  Circuit  bench  of  Cook  County  to  become 
mayor  of  the  second  city  of  the  United  States,  he 
brought  with  him  an  experience  and  learning  possessed 
by  few,  if  any,  of  the  other  chief  executives  this  munici- 
pality has  had.  His  personality,  his  family  life,  his  char- 
acter as  a  citizen  always  have  stamped  him  as  a  remark- 
able man.  His  campaign  and  election  were  character- 
istic. Opposed  to  him  was  a  combination  of  news- 
papers and  moneyed  interests  which  would  easily  have 
swamped  a  less  vigorous  personality.  The  great  traction 
issue  was  at  stake.  Mayor  Dunne  entered  the  fight 
when  the  opposition  had  lined  up  seemingly  irresistible 
forces.  His  success  and  the  defeat  of  John  Maynard 
Harlan,  the  traction  candidate,  was  in  many  ways  the 
most  remarkable  political  performance  Chicago  has 
ever  witnessed.  Judge  Dunne  in  his  campaign  pledged 
himself  to  work  out  the  idea  of  municipal  ownership 
as  applied  to  public  utilities  in  Chicago  and  particu- 
larly to  the  public  service  corporations  as  typified  by 
street  car  companies.  The  manner  in  which  he  has 
started  to  carry  out  his  ideas  fully  justifies  the  faith 
that  his  friends  and  constituents  have  in  his  ability  and 
integrity. 

Edward  Fitzsimons  Dunne  was  born  at  Waterville, 
Connecticut,  October  12,  1853.  His  parents,  Patrick 
AY.  Dunne  and  Delia  M.  Dunne,  came  to  New  York 
from  Ireland  in  1849.  Within  a  year  after  their  son 
Edward  was  born  they  moved  to  Peoria,  Illinois,  and 
here  the  future  mayor  spent  his  youth  and  early  man- 
hood. His  father  prospered  in  business  and  held  a 
number  of  important  offices.  He  served  as  alderman 
several  years  and  was  also  a  member  of  the  Illinois 
legislature. 

The  father's  prosperity  enabled  him  to  send  his  son 
to  Trinity  College  in  Dublin  to  complete  his  education. 
The  son's  career  at  Trinity  for  three  years  was  marked 
with  success.  He  became  the  first  honor  man  of  his 
class  and  expected  to  be  graduated  with  distinction  at 
the  close  of  another  year.  His  father,  however,  suffered 
business  reverses  during  the  depression  of  the  early 
7o's,  and  the  son  was  forced  to  give  up  his  work  at 
Trinity.  He  returned  to  Peoria  and  entered  his  father's 
mill,  continuing  his  studies,  however,  with  the  view 
of  entering  the  legal  profession.  He  came  to  Chicago 
in  1876  to  continue  his  law  studies  and  the  next  year 
was  admitted  to  the  bar. 

In  partnership  with  such  distinguished  lawyers  as 
Judge  Scates.  formerly  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Illi- 
3 


nois,  and  Congressman  Hynes,  Mr.  Dunne  built  up  a 
large  practice,  to  which  he  devoted  his  energies  for  fif- 
teen years.  He  withdrew  from  practice  in  1892,  upon 
being  elected  to  fill  a  vacancy  on  the  Circuit  Court 
bench.  Here  he  soon  began  to  make  a  record  for  judi- 
cial ability  and  fidelity,  which,  strengthening  as  it  grew, 
secured  his  re-election  in  1897  and  again  in  1903.  His 
nomination  for  the  latter  election  was  indorsed  by  the 
bar  association  and  the  various  good  government 
organizations  and  newspapers,  and  was  confirmed  by  a 
popular  vote  which  fell  but  slightly  short  only  of  the 


EDWARD    F.    DUNNE. 

highest — that  which  was  cast  at  the  same  time  for  the 
venerable  and  revered  Judge  Murray  F.  Tuley. 

Judge  Dunne  had  meanwhile  married  with  Elizabeth. 
J.  Kelly  of  Chicago,  at  Chicago  in  1881.  They  have  had 
thirteen  children,  of  whom  ten  are  still  living.  These 
range  in  years  from  seventeen  to  two. 

In  the  course  of  his  thirteen  years'  service  on  the 
bench,  Judge  Dunne  decided  many  important  cases, 
some  of  them  involving  clashes  over  partisan  and  class 
interests;  but  he  never  fell  under  suspicion  of  bias,  and 
only  a  small  percentage  of  his  decisions  were  reversed. 
His  judicial  reputation,  no  less  with  the  judiciary  and 
at  the  bar  than  among  the  people,  measured  up  to  a 
high  standard.  Yet  he  always  refused  conformity  to 
judicial  conventionalities  that  tend  to  alienate  the  sym- 
pathies of  judges  from  the  common  life  and  the  common 
interests,  and  are  therefore  supposed  to  shield  them 
from  demoralizing  influences.  His  insistence  upon  his 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


freedom  as  a  citizen  notwithstanding  his  judicial  office, 
did  not  disturb  his  judicial  balance.  Throughout  his 
career  on  the  bench,  he  was  a  worthy  example  of  the 
citizen-judge. 

Judge  Dunne  entered  the  municipal  ownership 
movement  when  it  passed  from  the  academic  to  the  prac- 
tical stage.  He  had  been  selected  as  a  member  of  the 
committee  of  aldermen  and  citizens  appointed  by  Mayor 
Harrison  in  1902  to  suggest  plans  for  dealing  with  the 
traction  question.  In  December,  1902,  it  recommended 
two  bills  for  municipal  ownership  and  operation,  one  for 
street  cars  and  the  other  for  gas,  which  were  largely 


Dunne's  work.  The  one  relating  to  street  cars  came  to 
be  known  in  the  City  Council,  to  which  it  was  presented 
for  approval,  as  the  "Finn  bill."  It  was  rejected  by  that 
body,  and  the  "Jackson  bill"  was  substituted  for  it  for 
recommendation  to  the  legislature.  The  Jackson  bill, 
recommended  by  the  Council  in  the  interest  of  the  trac- 
tion companies,  was  displaced  in  the  legislature  by  the 
"Mueller  bill,"  which  became  a  law  and  is  now  in  force 
in  Chicago.  The  solution  of  the  traction  question  in 
accordance  with  the  Mueller  bill  is  the  large  work  which 
Mayor  Dunne  hopes  to  accomplish  during  his  term  as 
chief  executive  of  the  city  of  Chicago. 


GARFIELD    PARK. 


CHAPTER   V. 


c 

H 

I 

C 

A 

G 

O 

I 

N 

W 

A 

R. 



HE  part  taken  by  Chicago  in  the 
Civil  war  and  the  war  with  Spain 
deserves  distinct  recognition  in  any 
history  of  Chicago,  however  brief. 
It  was  wiped  off  the  map  by  the 
war  of  1812  and  was  too  feeble  to 
help  much  in  the  Black  Hawk  war, 
of  which  it  was  almost  within  can- 
non shot,  and  when  the  Mexican 
war  came  it  was  still  too  small  to 
be  taken  account  of.  But  by  the  spring  of  1861  it  was 
an  important' city,  and  by  the  spring  of  1898  it  was  a 
very  great  city. 

The  first  public  meeting  in  Chicago,  called  out  by 
secession,  was  held  January  5,  1861,  before  the  electoral 
colleges  of  the  several  states  had  met  at  their  respective 
capitals  to  choose  a  president.  The  rebellion  was  ram- 
pant at  Charleston.  The  people  of  Chicago,  irrespec- 
tive of  party,  proclaimed  their  loyalty  to  the  flag  at  that 
time.  When  the  first  call  for  volunteers  came  and  Gov- 
ernor Yates  issued  his  proclamation  April  15,  1861, 
announcing  Illinois'  quota,  Chicago  lost  no  time  in 
responding.  At  noon  on  the  2ist  day  of  that  month 
General  Swift  left  Chicago  with  595  men  and  four  six- 
pound  pieces  of  artillery,  going  directly  to  Cairo. 

Three  clays  before  the  first  Chicago  troops  turned 
to  the  front  a  mass  meeting  was  held  in  Chicago,  at 
which  a  Union  defense  fund  was  started,  which,  before 
the  close  of  the  next  day,  reached  $36.000.  The  banks 
of  the  city  tendered  Governor  Yates  a  loan  of  $500,000 
in  advance  of  the  assembling  of  the  legislature.  Mili- 
tary companies,  which  had  been  organized  in  time  of 
peace,  sometimes  sneered  at  as  mere  dress  parade 
affairs,  promptly  tendered  their  services.  The  most 
conspicuous  of  these  organizations  were  the  Chicago 
Zouaves,  who,  under  the  gallant  Ellsworth,  won  a 
renown  hardly  less  than  that  of  the  Rough  Riders  in 


Cuba,  although  the  Roosevelt  of  the  organization  did 
not  survive  to  receive  political  honors  at  the  hand  of 
a  grateful  people. 

The  first  call  for  75,000  volunteers  for  three  months 
opened  the  way  for  six  regiments  from  Illinois.  Chi- 
cago had  only  about  110,000  inhabitants  then,  but  had 
the  spirit  to  gladly  supply  the  entire  quota,  if  allowed 
to  do  so.  The  six  Illinois  regiments  were  numbered 
seven  to  twelve.  The  state  had  sent  six  regiments  to 
the  Mexican  war,  and  the  enumeration  was  a  continu- 
ance. Chicago  contributed  two  companies  to  the 
Twelfth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry ;  the  Zouaves  and 
Swift's  men  were  later  incorporated  in  the  Nineteenth 
regiment  and  mustered  into  the  three  years'  service 
May  4,  1861.  The  Twenty-third  was  a  Chicago  regi- 
ment, led  by  the  brave  Colonel  James  A.  Mulligan. 
That  was  the  first  Chicago  regiment  to  see  service  on 
the  battlefield.  It  was  the  Irish  regiment  of  Chicago. 
Through  it  Chicago  received  its  baptism  of  bloodshed 
in  the  holy  cause  of  the  Union  at  Lexington,  Missouri, 
September  18,  1861.  The  German  regiment  was  the 
Twenty-fourth,  commanded  by  Colonel  Hecker,  who 
had  fought  for  liberty  in  his  native  country.  The  Thir- 
ty-seventh was  organized  by  a  well-known  and  highly- 
honored  Chicagoan,  Julius  White.  The  Thirty-ninth, 
known  as  the  Yates'  Phalanx  was  mustered  in  during 
the  summer.  A  young  Chicago  lawyer,  Thomas  O. 
Osborne  was  elected  colonel,  but  modestly  chose  to 
be  major.  He  worked  his  way  up  to  general.  The 
Forty-second  was  organized  in  Chicago.  It  entered  the 
service  in  September  of  the  first  year  of  the  war,  William 
A.  Webb  being  colonel.  The  Chicago  Legion,  as  it  was 
called,  the  Fifty-first  regiment,  entered  the  service 
December  4,  Colonel  Gilbert  W.  Gumming  command- 
ing. The  Fifty-seventh,  the  last  of  the  Illinois  regi- 
ments of  the  first  vear  of  the  war,  who  were  made  up 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


in  whole  or  in  part  of  Chicago  troops,  was  mustered  in 
Decmber  26,  Silas  D.  Baldwin,  colonel. 

Hardly  had  1862  opened  before  the  "McClellan 
Brigade,"  as  it  was  popularly  called,  came  into  military 
existence  as  the  Fifty-eighth  regiment.  Colonel  Will- 
iam F.  Lynch  commanded  it.  In  May  the  Sixty-fifth, 
or  Scotch  regiment,  was  mustered  in,  Daniel  Cameron 
at  its  head.  In  August  the  famous  Board  of  Trade 
regiment,  the  Seventy-second,  moved  into  battle  line, 


Hundred  and  Thirteenth,  "Third  Board  of  Trade  Regi- 
ment," commanded  by  Colonel  George  B.  Hoge,  and 
the  One  Hundred  and  Twenty-seventh,  under  Colonel 
John  Van  Arnam.  All  these  were  infantry  regiments, 
and  the  latter  won  the  distinction  of  having  marched 
3,000  miles  and  been  under  fire  in  one  hundred  engage- 
ments. Every  one  of  these  regiments  rendered  gallant 
service  on  the  field. 

Chicago  was  well  represented  in  three  calvalry  regi- 


AUDITORIUM     BUILDING. 


Colonel  F.  A.  Staring  in  command  and  Joseph  Stock- 
ton next  in  rank.  The  Eighty-second  was  called  the 
"Second  Hecker  Regiment,"  being  German  in  its 
make-up,  and  at  first  under  the  command  of  Colonel 
Hecker,  who  was  succeeded  by  Colonel  E.  S.  Soloman. 
This  regiment  entered  the  service  early  in  the  fall  of 
1862.  So  did  the  Eighty-eighth,  or  "Second  Board  of 
Trade  Regiment,"  commanded  by  Colonel  Francis  T. 
Sherman.  Also  the  Eighty-ninth,  or  "Railroad  Regi- 
ment," Colonel  Hotchkiss;  the  Ninetieth,  the  "First 
Legion,"  under  Colonel  Timothy  O'Meara;  the  One 


merits,  which  were  early  in  the  field,  the  Fourth,  Eighth, 
Ninth,  Twelfth,  Thirteenth,  Sixteenth  and  Seventeenth. 
They  were  mainly  recruited  from  Northern  Illinois, 
outside  of  Chicago,  but  this  city  was  represented  in  them 
all,  but  more  especially  in  the  Eighth,  which  had  for 
its  major  W.  H.  Medill  of  Chicago.  The  Board  of 
Trade  Battery  was  mustered  in  August  i,  1862,  and  the 
Chicago  Mercantile  Battery  four  weeks  later.  No  less 
than  forty-six  commissioned  officers,  who  were  either 
killed  in  battle  or  died  soon  after  of  wounds,  entered 
the  service  from  Chicago.  These  are  dry  facts,  but 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


to  go  into  further  particulars  without  invidious  dis- 
crimination would  take  too  much  space.  For  a  city  of 
only  little  more  than  100,000  inhabitants  it  is  a  proud 
record  to  have  been  represented  in  so  many  regiments 
and  batteries. 

But  the  most  prominent  feature  of  the  military  rec- 
ord of  Chicago  during  the  war  of  the  rebellion  was 
the  Camp  Douglas  affair.  That  camp  was  designed 
to  be  a  rendezvous  for  Illinois  volunteers,  but  it  was 
actually  used  as  a  military  prison.  Fort  Donelson  fell 
in  February,  1862,  and  Island  No.  TO  was  captured 
about  the  same  time.  Between  8,000  and  9,000  prison- 
ers, who  fell  into  our  hands  in  consequence  of  those 
two  victories,  were  sent  here  to  Camp  Douglas.  Many 
of  these  prisoners  died.  The  season  of  the  year  was 
unfavorable.  Southern  men  were  not  accustomed  to  the 
rigor  of  the  winter  on  the  shore  of  Lake  Michigan. 
Many  died  of  pneumonia.  Chicago  raised  a  generous 
fund  for  providing  the  prisoners  with  the  comforts 
required,  and  our  physicians  gave  them  medical  care. 
But  many  died.  Still  later  came  smallpox.  Out  of 
12,000  prisoners,  1,150  died. 

But  the  feature  which  made  it  specially  famous  was 
the  great  conspiracy  that  was  concocted  in  1864.  The 
funds  for  it  and  the  details  of  it  were  attributed  to 
Jacob  Thompson,  then  in  Canada,  but  formerly  Secre- 
tary of  the  Navy  under  Buchanan.  Knights  of  the 
Golden  Circle  were  in  the  plot.  The  conspiracy  had 
for  its  diabolical  object  not  simply  the  delivery  of 
the  prisoners,  but  the  burning  of  the  town.  Buckner 
T.  Morris,  the  second  mayor  of  Chicago,  was  arrested 
on  the  charge  of  being  one  of  the  conspirators,  but  he 
was  acquitted.  The  plot  was  discovered  only  just  in 
time  to  save  the  city.  Colonel  B.  J.  Sweet,  the  com- 
mander of  the  camp,  has  received  a  great  deal  of  credit 
for  saving  the  city,  but  not  as  much  as  he  deserves. 
One  of  the  parks  should  perpetuate  the  glorious  rescue 
in  fitting  bronze,  Colonel  Sweet  being  the  central  fig- 
ure. Richmond  fell  only  a  few  months  after  the  great 
deliverance  of  Chicago. 

In  the  Civil  war,  as  has  been  shown,  Chicago  boys, 
whether  infantry  or  cavalry,  were  scattered  through 
regiments  largely  rural,  but  in  the  Spanish  war  regi- 
ments were  made  up  largely  on  geographical  lines.  The 
strictly  Chicago  regiments  of  infantry  were  the  First, 
led  by  Col.  Henry  L.  Turner ;  the  Second,  commanded 
by  Colonel  George  M.  Moulton ;  the  Fifth,  Colonel 
Culver's  regiment;  the  Seventh.  Colonel  Marcus  Kav- 
anaugh.  The  Eighth  (colored)  had  four  companies 
from  Chicago  and  four  from  the  rest  of  the  state.  Its 
gallant  colonel.  John  R.  Marshall,  was  from  Chicago. 
All  officers,  from  colonel  down,  were  colored,  and  both 


the  regiment  as  a  whole  and  every  officer  made  a  good 
record.  It  was  the  first  colored  regiment  in  the  country 
to  be  officered  by  men  of  the  same  race,  and  a  great 
deal  of  interest  was  felt  in  the  result.  It  was  so  satis- 
factory as  to  be  highly  creditable  to  all  concerned. 

Chicago  was  well  represented  in  the  famous  Rough 
Riders,  and  Companies  E  and  F  of  the  Second  United 
States  Volunteer  Engineers  were  supplied  by  Chicago, 
and  through  them  Chicago  should  have  the  honor  of 
being  the  first  to  land  in  the  province  of  Havana. 
Colonel  Edward  C.  Young  was  commissioned  by  Gov- 
ernor Tanner  to  raise  a  regiment  of  cavalry,  and  of  it 


CHICAGO    SAVINGS   BANK. 

Companies  A,  C,  E,  F,  H,  I  and  M  were  recruited 
in  Chicago.  Illinois  took  an  honorable  part  in  the 
naval  battles  of  the  war  through  the  naval  reserves, 
largely  a  Chicago  orgaization.  These  "jackies"  did 
not  ask  to  be  kept  together,  but  patriotically  consented 
to  be  distributed  and  placed  where  they  could  do  the 
most  good. 

These  meager  facts  give  little  idea  of  the  heroic 
part  taken  by  Chicago  either  in  the  Civil  war  or  the 
later  war  with  Spain.  It  would  trench  too  much  the 
limited  space  of  this  municipal  history  to  recount  inci- 
dents in  detail,  however  glorious.  For  such  details, 
especially  of  the  Civil  war,  the  reader  is  referred  to 
Andreas'  "Awakening  of  the  \Yar  Spirit  in  Chicago." 


CHAPTER   VI. 


CHICAGO'S   GREAT   FIRE   DISASTERS. 


HICAGO  has  had  two  great  disasters 
that  stand  out  above  all  other  mis- 
fortunes that  overtook  the  city  dur- 
ing its  first  century.  These  were 
the  great  fire  of  1871.  which  burned 
over  2.124  acres  in  the  very  heart  of 
the  city,  and  the  Iroquois  theater  fire 
on  December  30,  1903,  which  wiped 
out  575  lives. 

The  fire  of  1871  was  the  greatest 
property  loss  in  the  history  of  mod- 
ern times,  and  left  100,000,  or  a  third  of 
the  population  of  the  city,  homeless.  The  summer  of 
1871  had  been  particularly  hot  and  dry,  this  weather 
continuing  till  late  in  the  fall.  Very  little  rain  had  fallen 
for  some  weeks  and  everything  that  was  exposed  to  the 
air  and  would  burn  was  as  dry  as  tinder.  Much  of  the 
early  building  construction  in  the  city  was  of  frame,  and 
even  the  stone  and  brick  buildings  were  of  an  inflamma- 
ble character.  There  were  in  reality  two  fires.  The  fire 
of  October  7  broke  out  near  the  corner  of  Clinton  and 
Van  Buren  streets,  and  all  the  territory  between  that 
and  the  river  and  Adams  street  was  burned  over.  That 
in  itself  was  a  great  fire  and  would  have  been  considered 
a  very  disastrous  one  but  for  the  overshadowing  great- 
ness of  the  one  that  began  on  Sunday  night,  October  9, 
on  De  Koven  street,  on  the  West  Side,  a  little  east  of 
Jefferson  street.  For  two  days  and  nights  Chicago 
was  a  sea  of  flames  and  then  a  blackened  desert.  Every- 
thing seemed  favorable  for  the  destruction  of  the  city. 
In  addition  to  the  tinder  dried  condition  of  all  wood- 
work, a  strong  southwest  wind  prevailed,  and  as  the 
fire  increased  the  wind  seemed  to  increase  with  it. 
\Yhole  blocks  of  buildings  were  carried  away,  as  if  they 
had  melted  in  the  flames.  The  number  of  acres  burned 
over  by  the  fire  of  Saturday  night  was  twenty-seven, 
but  the  great  fire  of  October  9  burned  over  194  acres 


on  the  West  Side,  460  acres  on  the  South  Side,  and 
1,470  acres  on  the  North  Side.  Over  3,650  buildings 
were  burned  on  the  South  Side  and  13,300  buildings  on 
the  North  Side.  On  the  North  Side,  by  something  like 
a  miracle,  a  large  frame  building,  the  residence  of 
Mahlon  B.  Ogden,  standing  in  the  center  of  a  block,  was 
saved  from  the  flames. 

At  the  time  of  the  fire  the  city  comprised  an  area 
of  11,520  acres.  The  population  of  the  city  was  some- 
thing over  300,000.  Fully  100,000  of  these  were  left 
houseless  and  homeless,  many  of  them  penniless.  The 
pecuniary  damage  by  these  fires  is  estimated  at  $290,- 
000,000.  On  the  property  thus  destroyed  there  was 
$100,000,000  of  insurance,  on  which  $45.000,000  were 
realized.  Fifty-six  insurance  companies  were  ruined. 

The  marvelous  extent  of  the  disaster  and  the  ruin 
wrought  was  published  far  and  wide.  All  the  world 
became  familiar  with  it  within  forty-eight  hours.  The 
benevolence  and  philanthropy  of  the  world  was  stirred 
as  it  seldom  has  been  and  relief  came  pouring  in  from 
every  quarter — money,  clothing  and  provisions.  A 
more  prompt  and  noble  response  to  distress  has  perhaps 
never  been  known.  Over  $4.000,000  was  contributed 
in  money  for  immediate  relief,  almost  all  nations,  from 
England  to  Japan,  contributing  a  portion,  but,  of  course, 
the  great  mass  of  the  relief  funds  came  from  American 
citizens.  This  wonderful  response  of  the  people  of  the 
world  aroused  the  Chicago  people  to  immediate  action, 
and  they  organized  not  only  for  the  purpose  of  properly 
distributing  the  great  relief  fund  which  came  to  them, 
but  for  the  purpose  of  rebuilding  the  city.  The  prompt 
action  of  the  solvent  and  energetic  business  men  of  the 
city  soon  restored  confidence,  not  only  to  their  fellow 
citizens,  but  to  the  people  abroad,  and  capital  was 
offered  from  all  financial  centers  for  the  purpose  of 
rebuilding  Chicago.  No  city  ever  presented  a  busier 
scene  than  Chicago  did  for  the  next  eighteen  months. 


38 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


39 


Within  one  year  from  the  time  of  the  fire  it  is  said  that 
more  than  one-half  of  the  80,000  feet  frontage  which 
had  been  burned  in  the  south  division  was  rebuilt  with 
buildings  more  substantial  and  better  than  before.  It  is 
estimated  that  over  $30,000,000  within  that  time  was 
put  into  rebuilding  the  city,  and  it  is  quite  probable  that 
at  least  $50,000,000  were  spent  in  rebuilding  within  two 
years  from  the  time  of  the  fire.  The  rapidity  with  which 
the  rebuilding  was  accomplished  and  the  great  influx  of 
population  on  account  of  the  demand  for  labor  tended 
to  keep  Chicago  before  the  whole  country  all  the  time. 
It  was  hardlv  less  talked  about  in  social  circles  or  written 


and  its  succeeding  resurrection  from  its  ashes.  The 
great  fire  in  1871  and  the  World's  Columbian  Exposition 
in  1893  each  marks  an  epoch  in  the  progress  and  fame 
of  the  city. 

The  Iroquois  theater  fire  was  the  most  disastrous 
catastrophe  in  the  number  of  lives  lost  in  the  history  of 
Chicago.  On  the  afternoon  of  Wednesday,  December 
30,  1903,  during  a  holiday  matinee  performance  the 
scenery  caught  fire  and  the  flames  bursting  through 
the  flimsy  asbestos  fire  curtain  swept  through  the  audi- 
torium of  the  theater,  causing  the  death  of  575  men, 
women  and  children.  There  were  2,300  people  in  the 


NATATORIUM,  .DOUGLASS  PARK. 

about  in  the  newspapers  during  that  time  than  it  had 
been  during  the  excitement  of  the  fire  itself.  What  was 
a  great  disaster  to  individual  citizens,  and  at  the  time 
seemed  to  be  so  to  the  city  itself,  turned  out  eventually 
as  the  most  efficient  promoter  of  Chicago's  greatness. 

Taken  as  a  whole,  the  fire  was  the  most  wonderful 
advertisement  that  ever  any  city  had,  and  the  prompt 
action  and  energy  shown  by  the  people  in  rebuilding  the 
city  so  suddenly  destroyed  turned  it  into  a  most  favora- 
ble advertisement,  and  Chicago  became  a  synonym  for 
energy,  determination  and  business  sagacity.  No  inter- 
nal city  in  any  nation  is  so  well  known  among  other 
nations  to-day  as  Chicago,  and  in  large  part  it  owes  this 
general  information  in  regard  to  itself  to  the  great  fire 


audience  when  the  fire  broke  out,  and  a  third  of  them 
were  either  killed  or  injured. 

"Mr.  Blue  Beard"  was  the  attraction  and  the  theater 
had  just  been  completed  a  few  weeks  and  was  pro- 
nounced the  finest  and  most  modern  and  fireproof 
structure  of  the  kind  in  the  United  States.  It  had  been 
built  at  a  cost  of  approximately  $1,000,000.  and  had 
been  inspected  and  approved  by  the  building  depart- 
ment as  fully  meeting  all  the  requirements  of  the  city 
ordinances.  Investigation  after  the  disaster  showed  that 
the  construction  had  been  faulty  in  many  particulars, 
and  that  no  provision  had  been  made  for  the  speedy 
opening  of  the  exits  in  case  of  a  panic. 

Of  the  575  victims,  most  of  them  were  women  and 


40 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


children.  The  greatest  loss  of  life  occurred  at  the  exits 
of  the  main  balcony.  Here  over  three  hundred  were 
found  piled  in  an  indescribable  mass  of  torn  and  bleeding 
limbs  and  bodies.  In  the  frantic  rush  for  safety  they  had 
become  piled  and  jammed  in  the  entrance,  and,  overcome 
by  the  wave  of  flame  and  smoke  sweeping  through  the 
auditorium  from  the  stage,  had  been  burned  and  suffo- 
cated to  death.  Every  ambulance  and  patrol  wagon  in 
the  city  was  called  into  use  and  the  neighboring 
restaurants  and  stores  were  turned  into  temporary 
morgues  and  hospitals.  Heroic  efforts  were  made  to 
resuscitate  those  who  had  not  been  burned  to  death,  and 
in  many  cases  the  treatment  was  successful,  materially 
reducing  the  total  number  of  deaths.  For  days  the 
undertakers'  morgues  were  filled  with  bodies  awaiting 
identification.  Friends  and  relatives  of  missing  persons 
searched  these  places  for  weeks  looking  for  missing 
persons.  All  were  identified  finally. 

Every  theater  in  the  city  was  ordered  closed  the  day 
after  the  fire,  and  it  was  a  month  before  any  of  them 
opened  again.  Several  of  them  did  not  open  for  two 
or  three  months,  and  in  some  instances  they  were 
entirely  remodeled.  The  Iroquois  did  not  open  for 
nearly  a  year,  and  then  under  a  new  name.  The  mem- 
ory of  the  terrible  loss  of  life  after  nearly  two  years  still 
clings  to  the  place  and  it  has  never  been  popular  since. 
Efforts  were  made  at  the  time  of  the  fire  to  have  it 
turned  into  a  memorial  hospital,  but  these  failed. 

There  was  a  determined  demand  for  the  prosecution 
of  the  managers  and  officials  responsible  for  the  condi- 
tions in  the  theater  which  made  such  a  calamity  possible. 
Will  J.  Davis,  Harry  J.  Powers  and  managers  of  the 
Iroquois,  and  George  Williams,  building  commissioner, 
were  arrested  the  day  following  the  fire  on  warrants 
sworn  out  by  the  father  of  one  family  that  had  been 
wiped  out  by  the  holocaust.  These  prosecutions  were 
not  pressed.  An  exhaustive  investigation  was  made  by 
the  coroner  and  a  special  jury  impaneled  for  the  pur- 
pose. In  its  verdict  the  jury  held  Mayor  Harrison, 
\Yill  J.  Davis,  Commissioner  Williams,  Edward  Lough- 
lin,  the  building  inspector  who  passed  the  theater,  Will- 
iam H.  Musham,  fire  chief.  William  Sailers,  city  fireman 
stationed  at  the  theater,  William  McMullen,  who 


operated  the  spot  light  which  started  the  fire,  and  James 
E.  Cummings,  stage  superintendent  of  the  Troquois 
stage,  to  the  grand  jury.  Mayor  Harrison  was  freed 
from  custody  the  next  day  on  habeas  corpus  pro- 
ceedings. 

On  February  20  following  the  special  grand  jury 
returned  indictments  against  Manager  Davis,  Thomas 
Noonan,  treasurer  of  the  theater,  and  Cummings,  the 
stage  superintendent,  for  manslaughter  and  against 
Commissioner  Williams  and  Inspector  Loughlin  for 
neglect  of  duty.  "No  bills"  were  voted  in  the  cases 
against  Mayor  Harrison,  Chief  Musham,  Sailers  and 
McMullen.  No  convictions  have  resulted  from  the 
indictments  and  the  chances  are  that  no  one  will  ever  be 
legally  held  responsible  for  the  horror  that  cost  575 
lives. 

As  a  result  of  the  agitation  against  firetrap  theaters 
following  the  holocaust,  conditions  in  all  the  public 
places  of  amusement  in  Chicago  and  cities  all  over  the 
country  have  been  improved.  Shocked  by  the  terrible 
conditions  revealed  immediately  after  the  fire  the  mayor 
called  a  special  sesson  of  the  council.  A  committee  of 
investigation  was  appointed  and  a  new  theater  ordinance 
drawn  up.  Under  the  stress  of  feeling  at  the  time  it  was 
made  most  drastic,  and  while  it  has  not  been  rigidly 
enforced,  its  provisions  have  been  complied  with  to  such 
an  extent  that  every  playhouse  and  place  of  gathering 
has  been  made  more  safe.  In  general  terms  the  new 
law  requires  that  theaters  must  be  provided  with  steel 
curtains  which  are  lowered  at  the  end  of  even,'  act ;  the 
stage  must  be  of  fireproof  construction,  and  be  provided 
with  flues  and  vents  in  the  roof  and  automatic  sprinklers ; 
aisles  and  exits  must  be  increased  and  the  seating 
capacity  reduced ;  no  one  is  allowed  to  stand  in  the  aisles 
and  all  exits  must  be  shown  on  a  diagram  of  the  theater 
on  the  program;  four  sides  of  the  theater  must  be 
detached  or  provided  with  fireproof  enclosed  passages; 
fire  apparatus  and  fire-alarm  systems  must  be  installed 
and  two  members  of  the  fire  department  stationed  in 
each  theater. 

A  flood  of  damage  suits  have  been  filed  against 
Klaw  &  Erlanger,  the  owners  of  the  Iroquois,  aggregat- 
ing into  the  millions.  None  of  these  has  been  pushed 
to  a  successful  conclusion  up  to  this  time  (1905). 


CHAPTER   VII. 


THE    COLUMBIAN    EXPOSITION. 


HICAGO  is  the  county  seat  of  one  of 
the  best  agricultural  counties  of  Illi- 
nois, but  has  never  had  a  county 
fair.  That  pride  and  joy  of  the  aver- 
age farmer's  heart  was  denied  the 
tillers  of  the  rich  soil  of  Cook 
County.  Once  the  state  fair  was 
held  in  Chicago,  but  it  was  not  a 
success.  For  several  years  an  In- 
terstate Exposition,  as  it  was  called, 
was  held  on  the  Lake  Front,  but  it 
v'  .  was  not  particularly  creditable.  At  least, 
it  made  a  poor  showing  as  compared  with  the  somewhat 
analogous  exposition  given  by  St.  Louis.  It  was  only 
natural  that  when  this  city  entered  the  list  as  a  competi- 
tor for  the  great  Columbian  Exposition,  in  honor  of  the 
fourth  centennial  of  the  discovery  of  America,  there 
should  be  a  strong  opposition.  The  selection  was  to  be 
made  by  Congress,  and  New  York  insisted  that  it  was 
entitled  to  it,  as  the  great  metropolis  of  the  new  world. 
The  decision  in  favor  of  Chicago  was  made  in  April, 
1890.  The  fair  itself  was  opened  three  years  later. 

By  the  term  of  the  act  of  Congress  the  "World's 
Columbian  Exposition"  was  to  be  "an  exhibition  of  arts, 
industries,  manufactures  and  products  of  the  soil,  mines 
and  sea."  The  sum  of  money  to  be  guaranteed  by 
Chicago  under  the  act  was  $10,000,000.  One-half  of 
this  amount  was  raised  by  subscription.  The  other  half 
was  raised  by  an  issue  of  city  bonds.  There  was  a  great 
obstacle  in  the  way  of  a  bond  issue.  The  constitution 
of  the  state  had  to  be  amended  before  the  city  could 
incur  the  indebtedness,  and  the  initiative  had  to  be 
taken  by  the  General  Assembly,  in  special  session,  called 
for  that  purpose  by  the  governor,  Joseph  Fifer.  To 
remove  these  obstacles  was  quite  as  formidable  a  task 
as  to  raise  the  $5,000,000  by  subscription.  In  August 
of  that  same  year  the  special  session  was  held,  and  the 


amendment  was  ratified  at  the  state  election   of  that 
November. 

Another  perplexing  problem  was,  where  should  the 
fair  be  held?  In  looking  back  upon  the  exposition  it 
is  a  matter  of  surprise  that  there  should  have  been  the 
slightest  hesitation  on  the  subject.  The  site  selected 
was  ideal.  If  it  had  been  made  for  that  purpose  it 
could  not  have  been  improved  upon.  That  portion  of 
Jackson  Park  facing  on  the  lake  afforded  every  advan- 
tage. But  for  a  long  time  it  seemed  to  many  that  the 
best  place  would  be  the  lake  front,  between  Randolph 
and  Twelfth  streets,  making  such  addition  by  filling  in 
as  might  be  necessary.  The  decision  of  the  question 
was  not  made  until  nearly  one  year  after  the  act  of 
Congress  had  been  passed.  From  that  time  on  the 
work  of  preparation  was  prosecuted  with  astonishing 
vigor,  and  on  a  very  large  scale.  The  grounds  were 
laid  out  and  beautified  at  great  expense,  and  no  less  than 
fourteen  exposition  buildings  proper  were  erected,  each 
in  itself  a  grand  example  of  architecture.  Some  of 
them  were  marvels  of  beauty,  and  each  was  admirably 
adapted  to  its  specific  purpose.  The  Manufactures  and 
Liberal  Arts  building,  1,687x787  feet,  was  the  most 
gigantic  of  them  all,  and  the  Administration  building 
the  most  artistic,  but  each  was  in  its  way  most  admir- 
able. If  built  of  the  whitest  marble,  instead  of  perish- 
able "staff,"  they  would  have  presented  no  more 
entrancing  effect.  "The  White  City,"  as  it  was  called, 
was  a  sight  well  worth  a  journey  around  the  world  to 
see,  even  if  one  saw  only  the  buildings  and  grounds. 
No  permanent  city  could  vie  with  it  as  a  triumph  of 
architecture. 

Besides  the  buildings  erected  by  the  exposition  com- 
pany, and  their  annexes,  the  government  of  the  United 
States  had  a  magnificent  structure  for  its  own  exhibits. 
So,  too,  did  seventeen  foreign  countries,  thirty-eight 
states  and  three  territories.  Manv  exhibitors  and  con- 


41 


42 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


cessionists  put  up  structures  of  their  own.  Many  foreign 
nations  and  colonies,  which  had  separate  buildings  of 
their  own,  contributed  to  the  exhibits.  Foreign  gov- 
ernments expended,  it  is  estimated,  $6,000,000  for  the 
cost  of  their  exhibits.  No  doubt  private  exhibitors  from 
abroad  expended  more  than  that  amount. 

The  exposition  opened  May  I,  1893,  and  closed 
October  31.  During  those  six  months  the  total  attend- 
ance, as  shown  by  the  turnstile  registries,  was  27,539- 
521.  The  actual  paid  admissions  were  21,478,218.  Of 
course  many  persons  made  many  visits.  It  is  impossi- 
ble to  estimate  how  many  different  persons  saw  the 
exposition,  but  there  must  have  been  several  millions. 
The  greatest  number  of  any  one  day  was  on  October  9, 
the  twenty-second  anniversary  of  the  great  fire.  That 
was  called  Chicago  day.  and  it  seemed  as  if  the  whole 
city  swarmed  into  the  White  City.  The  turnstile  records 
of  that  one  day  showed  716,881  visitors. 

The  condensed  balance  sheet  of  the  auditor  showed 
a  grand  total  of  funds  of  $28,151,168.75.  It  is  a  low 
estimate  to  place  the  cost  of  the  fair,  including  public 
appropriations  and  expenditures  of  exhibitors,  at 
$50,000,000.  The  cost  to  visitors  cannot  be  computed. 
But  no  one  can  intelligently  doubt  that  the  general 
benefits  were  incomparably  greater  than  the  actual 
cost.  Many  persons  lost  money  in  business  ventures 
which  proved  unprofitable,  and  much  disappointment 
was  experienced,  but  the  general  public  derived  enor- 
mous benefits  from  the  exposition. 

In  the  management  of  the  exposition  many  persons 
deserve  very  great  credit,  but  a  few  names  are  entitled 
to  distinct  recognition  and  grateful  remembrance.  No 
one  individual  did  more  to  make  the  exposition  a  brill- 
iant success  than  Mrs.  Bertha  Honore  Palmer,  presi- 
dent of  the  Board  of  Lady  Managers.  She  had  never 
been  tried  in  any  public  duty,  but  she  proved  to  have 
remarkable  executive  ability  and  a  broad,  clear  and 
far-reaching  judgment.  Lyman  J.  Gage,  Ferdinand  W. 


Peck,  Harlow  N.  Higinbotham,  Thomas  P.  Bryan, 
George  R.  Davis  and  T.  W.  Palmer  each  gave  much 
time  to  the  enterprise  and  did  much  in  his  own  way  to 
make  the  exposition  a  great  success. 

One  of  the  more  notable  features  of  the  exposition 
was  the  series  of  "congresses"  gotten  up  in  connection 
with  the  exposition.  Charles  C.  Bonney  deserves  to  be 
called  the  author  and  finisher  of  this  auxiliary  part  of 
the  fair.  He  and  the  late  Professor  Swing  each  sug- 
gested this  department,  but  neither  knew  anything  of 
the  other's  plan.  Professor  Swing  was  an  idealist  and 
was  content  to  merely  suggest  the  plan,  but  Mr.  Bonney 
took  a  practical  view  of  the  matter,  and  the  managers 
gave  him  every  facility  for  carrying  out  his  project. 
The  most  notable  of  these  congresses  was  the  Parlia- 
ment of  Religion.  The  head  of  the  committee  having 
this  in  charge  was  the  Rev.  Dr.  John  Henry  Barrows, 
then  pastor  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Chi- 
cago, now  president  of  Oberlin  College.  Eminent 
religionists  from  all  over  the  world  were  in  attendance 
and  the  public  interest  in  the  poceedings  was  wide- 
spread and  intense.  The  cause  of  religious  unity  and 
fellowship  was  materially  promoted. 

As  for  the  exposition  as  a  whole  ,it  was  conceded  to 
be  the  grandest  and  most  successful  world's  fair  ever 
held.  It  did  much  to  establish  the  reputation  of  Chi- 
cago as  one  of  the  greatest  cities,  of  the  world.  From 
that  time  on  it  has  been  wholly  free  from  the  belittle- 
ment  of  a  provincial  reputation.  That  celebration  of 
the  fourth  centennial  of  the  discovery  of  the  new  world 
was  a  mere  episode  in  the  history  of  the  city,  but  it  will 
ever  stand  as  one  of  the  more  memorable  landmarks  of 
Chicago's  great  municipal  career. 

This  exposition  occasioned  some  financial  disap- 
pointment to  individuals,  but  to  the  city  as  a  whole  it 
was  of  incalculably  great  benefit.  It  gave  a  wonderful 
stimulus  to  population  and  contributed  powerfully  to 
the  general  development  of  Chicago  as  a  center  of  trade 
and  industry. 


CHAPTER   VIII. 


THE    ILLINOIS    AND    MICHIGAN    CANAL 


HEN    the    genius    and    execu- 
tive ability  of  DeWitt  Clinton 
fL      put  New  York  City  in  all- 


water  communication  with 
the  Great  Lakes  and  the 
great  West,  he  started  a 
system  of  East  and  West 
commerce  which  was  of  the 
highest  national  importance. 
The  early  coming  of  the  then 
undreamed  of  railroad  cut 
short  the  career  of  the 
canals,  but  water  continues 
very  great  factor  in  overland 
transportation,  contradictory  as  the  statement  may 
seem.  What  the  Erie  was  to  New  York  in  the  early 
days  of  the  century,  the  Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal 
was  to  Chicago  in  its  municipal  youth. 

It  was  a  citizen  of  New  York  who  first,  after  Joliet 
himself,  recognized  the  importance  to  commerce  of  the 
portage  of  Chicago.  In  1810  a  member  of  Congress 
from  that  state,  Hon.  Peter  B.  Porter,  drew  the  atten- 
tion of  Congress  to  the  importance  of  connecting  the 
Mississippi  river  and  Lake  Michigan  by  building  a  canal 
to  supply  the  missing  link  in  the  chain  of  waterways 
which  was  to  extend  from  New  Orleans  to  New  York. 
But  the  United  States  government  had  other  matters 
more  pressing  to  look  after.  The  second  war  with 
England  was  near  at  hand.  Four  years  later,  however. 
President  Madison  called  the  attention  of  Congress  to 
the  subject,  and  the  government  organ  of  the  day,  the 
Niles  Register,  caught  a  glimpse  of  the  great  possi- 
bilities latent  in  the  President's  suggestion.  "By  the 
Illinois  river,"  it  said,  "it  is  probable  that  Buffalo  in 
New  York  may  be  united  to  New  Orleans  by  inland  nav- 
igation through  Lakes  Erie,  Huron  and  Michigan  an 
down  that  river  to  the  Mississippi."  It  was  precisely 

43 


that  which  the  Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal  did  do.  And 
the  ecstatic  exclamation  of  the  Register  has  also  been 
justified,  "What  a  route !  How  stupendous  the  idea ! 
How  dwindles  the  importance  of  the  artificial  canals 
of  Europe  compared  to  this  water  communication !  If 
it  should  ever  take  place — and  it  is  said  the  effort  can 
easily  be  made — the  territory  of  Illinois  will  become  the 
seat  of  an  immense  commerce  and  a  market  for  the 
commodities  of  all  regions."  That  could  hardly  have 
been  a  truer  prophecy  had  it  been  a  veritable  case  of 
history  read  backward. 

It  was  in  1816  that  the  first  practical  step  was  taken. 
One  of  the  necessary  preliminaries  was  to  get  rid  of  the 
Indians.  A  people  stolidly  set  against  accepting  civili- 
zation must  be  removed  from  the  path  of  progress.  A 
strip  of  land  twenty  miles  wide,  extending  from  Ottawa 
to  Chicago  belonged  to  the  Pottawatomies.  In  August, 
1816,  they  relinquished  their  title  to  that  slip.  Then 
the  government  set  about  exploring  and  getting  ready 
to  carry  out  the  Porter-Madison  plan,  or  the  DeWitt 
Clinton  plan  applied  to  the  West.  The  first  thing  was 
for  a  United  States  civil  engineer,  Major  S.  H.  Long, 
to  make  a  trip  from  Fort  Clark,  or  Kaskaskia,  to  Chi- 
cago. It  was  a  long  journey  by  boat,  all  the  way  against 
the  current.  When  he  reached  the  Chicago  river  he 
found  it  "discharged  itself  into  the  lake  over  a  bar  of 
sand  and  gravel,  in  a  rippling  stream  ten  or  fifteen  yards 
wide  and  only  a  few  inches  deep."  The  Calumet  was 
still  worse,  for  the  sand-bar  down  there  was  a  complete 
blockade.  His  report  struck  no  responsive  chord  in 
Congress.  Eight  years  later,  when  the  state  had  been 
in  the  Union  four  years,  Congress  did  pass  an  act  grant- 
ing the  state  authority  to  cut  a  canal  through  the  public 
lands,  donating  ninety  feet  on  either  side  and  appro- 
priating $10,000  for  the  survey.  In  consideration  of 
this  permit  and  the  appropriation  of  land  and  money 
the  state  agreed  to  allow  all  articles  belonging  to  the 


44 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


United  States,  or  to  any  person  in  its  employ,  to  pass 
toll  free  forever.  The  legislature  of  Illinois  lost  no  time 
in  getting  down  to  business.  It  was  conceived  at  that 
time  that  Indiana  might  join  and  open  up  lake  com- 
munication by  way  of  the  Wabash,  and  Ohio  by  way  of 
the  Maumee,  but,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  each  of  the  three 
propositions  was  independent  of  both  of  the  others. 
It  required  a  great  deal  of  surveying  and  expert  calcula- 
tion to  reach  a  definite  plan.  The  state  act  incor- 
porating the  Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal  Company  was 
passed  early  in  1825,  with  a  capital  stock  of  $1,000,000. 
This  act  was  amended  in  the  next  year,  in  the  hope  of 
facilitating  operations.  But  the  necessary  capital  could 
not  be  raised.  In  1827  Congress  was  induced  to  grant 
a  liberal  land  subsidy,  namely  $284,000. 

Fortunately  there  was  no  Credit  Mobilier  to  absorb 
this  subsidy.  The  state  itself  took  it.  The  acts  of  1825 
and  1826  were  virtually  dead  and  the  corporations 
which  they  contemplated  existed  only  on  paper.  In 
1828  the  legislature  started  the  enterprise  on  a  feasible 
basis.  Still  further  legislation  followed  in  1829.  The 
most  important  preliminary  work  of  the  first  board  of 
canal  commissioners  was  to  lay  out  towns  at  each  end 
of  the  canal  that  was  to  be — Ottawa  and  Chicago. 
Practically  nothing  was  done  except  to  lay  out  these 
two  terminal  towns  until  1836,  when  more  legislation 


HUMBOLDT  PARK. 

was  had.  In  the  meanwhile  obstacles  of  the  most  serious 
nature  were  encountered,  and  it  looked  as  if  the  canal, 
then  so  long  talked  about,  never  would  be  built.  The 
first  spadeful  of  earth  was  thrown  out  on  the  4th  of 
July,  1836.  Never  was  Independence  Day  more  joy- 
fully celebrated  than  on  that  ever-glorious  Fourth  by 
the  people  of  Chicago.  Everybody  turned  out  and  went 
down  to  Bridgeport  to  witness  the  inauguration  of  the 
enterprise.  The  honor  of  wielding  the  spade  on  that 
occasion  fell  to  the  lot  of  Canal  Commissioner  Archer, 
whose  name  lives  in  the  diagonal  avenue,  or  "road,"  as 
then  called,  which  leads  from  State  street  to  Bridgeport. 
But  the  beginning  was  far  from  the  end.  More  years 
of  weary  waiting  and  baffling  toil  were  destined  to  roll 
by  before  the  canal  became  an  accomplished  fact.  The 
estimates  of  cost  had  been  wild  guesses,  at  least  they 
bore  no  relation  to  actual  cost.  It  was  not  before  the 
crash  of  1837  came  and  put  clogs  on  every  wheel  of 
internal  improvements  and  killed  forever  many  of  the 
projects.  The  state  tottered  on  the  brink  of  bank- 
ruptcy. The  debt  incurred  in  building  this  canal  was 
the  heaviest  burden  of  all.  The  bad  kept  getting  worse 
all  the  time,  and  in  1842  came  a  collapse  of  state 
finances.  There  seemed  to  be  nothing  left  but  to  use  the 
big  ditch  as  a  grave  for  state  honor.  More  than  a  hun- 
dred contractors  who  were  working  along  the  line  when 
the  state  credit  was  exhausted  had  to  suspend.  The 
total  cost  up  to  that  time,  as  finally  ascertained,  was 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


45 


$5,139,492.03.  This  was  too  much  money  to  be  thrown 
away.  Despite  the  old  adage  warning  against  throwing 
good  money  after  bad,  the  idea  of  giving  up  entirely 
was  not  entertained.  A  great  many  bonds  had  been 
sold,  and  the  bondholders  could  not  afford  to  let  the 
expenditure  go  to  waste.  It  was  estimated  that 
$1,000,000  more  would  finish  the  work,  making,  all 
told,  nearly  ten  times  the  original  estimate.  It  took  a 
vast  deal  of  negotiation  to  get  the  work  started  up.  The 
Barings  of  London  thought  well  enough  of  the  pro- 
posed bonds  to  entertain  a  proposition,  provided  a  satis- 
factory report  upon  the  enterprise  was  made.  Who  in 
this  country  could  be  found  to  make  the  investigation 
whose  report  would  be  accepted?  Captain  W.  H.  Swift, 
a  United  States  engineer,  was  one,  and  Senator  John 
Davis  of  Massachusetts,  another.  Mr.  Davis  was 
known  in  his  day  as  "Honest  John.''  He  was  at  one 
time  the  modest  colleague  of  the  "Godlike  Daniel" 
Webster.  After  prodigious  labor  bonds  were  placed  on 
the  institutional  plan,  not  only  English,  but  French, 
capital  helping  on  the  enterprise.  Obstacle  after  obsta- 
cle was  encountered,  but  at  last  the  canal  was  actually 
opened,  and  the  first  boat  arrived  in  Chicago  from  Lock- 
port,  April  10,  1848.  Of  all  the  great  internal  improve- 
ments in  this  country  none  had  so  hard  a  struggle 


against  such  desperate  odds  as  the  Illinois  and  Michi- 
gan Canal. 

When  projected  it  was  absolutely  indispensable  to 
the  growth  of  Chicago  to  the  dimensions  of  a  great 
city,  and  it  has  certainly  proved  of  very  great  advantage, 
but  by  the  time  it  was  finished  it  was  no  longer  indis- 
pensable. The  morning  star  of  railways  had  appeared 
and  the  new  day  of  transportation  by  rail  was  dawning 
full  upon  the  land.  By  that  time  it  was  plain  that  how- 
ever much  Chicago  might  be  benefited  by  canal  boats 
its  great  dependence,  aside  from  the  lakes  themselves, 
was  to  be  upon  the  railroads.  As  will  be  seen  in 
another  chapter,  the  canal,  by  involving  the  state  in 
debt,  which  was  in  danger  of  repudiation,  was  the  indi- 
rect cause  of  the  great  railway  extending  its  entire 
length. 

In  this  connection  it  may  be  remarked  that  about 
the  time  the  completion  of  the  canal  became  a  fore- 
gone conclusion,  Wisconsin,  then  coming  into  the 
Union  as  a  state,  laid  claim  to  a  slip  of  northern  Illi- 
nois, which,  if  allowed,  would  have  brought  Chicago 
into  Wisconsin.  The  claim  was  not  without  a  shadow 
of  justice.  But  an  insuperable  practical  objection  was 
found  in  the  fact  that  to  allow  it  would  involve  the  com- 
plication dividing  the  ownership  of  the  Illinois  and 
Michigan  Canal,  the  great  enterprise  of  Illinois,  with 


GARFIEI.D  PARK. 


46 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


Wisconsin.     Thus  it  is  that  Illinois  owes  a  great  debt 
to  the  canal. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  the  purposes  of  this  history 
to  pursue  this  subject  much  further.  Its  large  part  in 
developing  the  city  may  be  said  to  have  passed  before 
it  went  into  the  carrying  trade.  The  main  canal,  from 
Bridgeport  to  La  Salle,  is  ninety-six  miles  long,  and 
the  river  route  from  Bridgeport  to  the  Chicago  harbor 
is  four  miles.  Illinois,  through  its  great  metropolis,  has 
indeed  become,  as  the  Niles  Register  forecasted,  "the 
seat  of  an  immense  commerce  and  a  market  for  the  com- 
modities of  all  regions,"  and  in  a  fundamental  way  the 


"stupendous  idea"  of  Peter  B.  Porter,  a  second  Joliet, 
contributed  largely  to  this  result.  But  the  canal  itself 
came  very,  very  near  accomplishing  its  supreme  pur- 
pose before  it  became  an  accomplished  fact.  In  a  sense 
its  builders  builded  better  than  they  knew;  in  another, 
their  costly  edifice  proved  largely  an  air  castle.  During 
all  the  long  years  of  construction  it  served  to  inspire 
confidence  in  Chicago's  future,  but  before  it  came  into 
place  as  an  agency  of  transportation  the  shadows  of 
evening  were  gathering  about  the  day  of  canals  and 
Chicago  was  entering  upon  its  higher  destiny  of  being 
the  great  focal  center  of  railway  traffic. 


MASONIC  TEMPLE. 


CHAPTER    IX. 


CHICAGO'S    WATER   SYSTEM. 


)HICAGO'S  water  system  has  for  its 
supply  the  inexhaustible  stores  of 
Lake  Michigan.  From  it  are  pumped 
annually  150,000,000,000  gallons  of 
water  to  supply  the  needs  of  the 
city's  2,000,000  inhabitants.  In  the 
use  of  water,  Chicago  believes  there 
can  be  no  waste,  and  in  no  city  in 
the  world  is  there  such  a  prodigality 
practiced,  each  person  having  more 
than  200  gallons  a  day  for  use. 
The  problem  of  utilizing  this  magnifi- 
cent water  supply  and  keeping  it  unpol- 
luted has  been  admirably  solved  by  Chicago.  Thirty 
miles  of  tunnels  take  the  supply  from  miles  out  in  the 
lake  to  the  ten  pumping  stations  in  various  parts  of 
the  city.  These  stations  have  a  capacity  of  529,500,000 
gallons  a  day.  , 

Like  all  the  other  public  improvements  of  the  city, 
Chicago's  water  system  is  typical  of  its  unparalleled 
growth.  A  century  ago  the  daily  water  supply  for  Fort 
Dearborn  and  the  few  settlers  around  the  stockade  was 
taken  in  buckets  from  the  river  and  lake.  To-day  every 
home  has  within  it  an  inexhaustible  supply,  furnished  at 
a  cost  lower  than  that  of  any  large  city  in  the  world. 

The  millions  that  have  been  invested  in  its  water- 
works have  brought  a  goodly  return  and  to-day  the  city 
makes  millions  from  this  source  annually.  With  the 
surplus  from  the  water  fund,  it  has  built  sewers  and 
other  public  improvements,  though  the  warrant  for  this 
diversion  has  been  seriously  questioned.  Supplementary 
to  the  water  system  is  the  drainage  canal  which  has  cost 
the  city  already  over  $42,500,000.  not  including  the 
millions  diverted  from  the  water  fund  for  the  system  of 
intercepting  sewers.  The  wonder  of  this  growth  is  best 
realized  from  a  review  of  its  history  and  development. 
The  first  waterworks  Chicago  had,  consisted  of  a 
single  well,  dug  in  November,  1834.  in  Kinzie's  addi- 


tion, at  an  expense  of  $95.  This  proving  inadequate, 
the  water  cart  appeared.  This  consisted  of  a  hogshead 
mounted  on  two  wheels  and  drawn  by  a  horse,  which 
was  backed  into  the  lake,  filled  with  water  by  a  bucket, 
and  then  hauled  around  the  village.  The  water  sold 
for  ten  and  fifteen  cents  a  barrel,  and  the  number  of 
water  carts  constantly  increased.  They  did  not  go 
entirely  out  of  use  for  twenty  years. 

In  1836  the  Chicago  Hydraulic  Company  was  incor- 
porated with  a  capital  of  $250,000  to  supply  the  city 
with  water  by  pumping  and  piping.  But,  owing  to  the 
panic  of  1837,  the  work  was  not  begun  until  1840.  The 
pumping  house,  which  was  located  at  the  foot  of  Lake 
street,  and  the  appliances  were  completed  in  the  spring 
of  1842.  at  a  cost  of  $14,000.  There  was  an  intake  con- 
structed 700  feet  out  in  the  lake,  and  it  was  connected 
by  a  six-inch  wooden  supply  pipe  with  a  well  fifteen 
feet  deep  in  the  pumping  house. 

It  was  not  until  1841  that  the  company  undertook 
to  supply  water  for  the  fire  department,  and  in  1848 
not  over  one-fifth  of  the  city  was  reached  by  the  supply 
pipes.  The  water  carts  were  still  necessary,  and  poor 
people  used  the  river  water.  From  1846  there  were 
complaints  that  the  hydrant  water  was  impure  and  fre- 
quently filled  with  small  fish. 

In  February,  1851,  the  Chicago  City  Hydraulic 
Company  was  incorporated  to  succeed  the  Chicago 
Hydraulic  Company.  The  construction  of  the  water- 
works, which  was  located  at  the  foot  of  Chicago  avenue, 
was  begun  in  1852,  and  the  buildings  were  completed 
the  next  year.  The  engine  house  was  on  the  beach, 
and  had  a  square  brick  tower  136  feet  high,  in  which 
were  both  the  standpipe  for  the  water  and  the  smoke- 
stack. The  water  was  pumped  into  three  reservoirs, 
one  on  each  side  of  the  city.  Water  was  first  pumped  in 
December,  1853.  In  1855,  forty-one  miles  of  pipe  had 
been  laid,  and  the  total  cost  of  the  works  had  amounted 
to  $496,849.  The  number  of  buildings  supplied  with 


47 


48 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


water  was  7,053.  The  Board  of  Public  Works  was 
established  and  took  charge  of  the  works.  May  6,  1861. 
Although  in  1858  the  pumping  works  supplied 
3,000,000  gallons  of  water  daily,  and  the  amount  was 
increasing,  it  became  evident  that  a  much  greater  sup- 
ply would  be  needed.  There  were  also  constant  com- 
plaints of  the  impurity  of  the  water  furnished.  In  1862, 
therefore,  City  Engineer  C.  E.  Chesbrough  began  to 
agitate  for  a  water  tunnel  under  the  lake  to  a  point 
where  good  water  could  be  secured.  In  September, 
1863,  the  city  government  adopted  his  plan,  and  let  the 


was  struck  December  6,  1866,  instead  of  November  i, 
1865,  and  the  cost  was  $464,866,  instead  of  $315,139. 

The  completion  of  the  tunnel  was  celebrated  as  a 
great  event.  The  mayor  and  the  city  officials  traveled 
through  the  tunnel  in  mule  carts  to  a  point  one  and  a 
half  miles  from  the  shore,  where  the  workmen  met,  and 
where  a  memorial  tablet  was  inserted  in  the  wall,  after 
considerable  speech-making,  Mayor  Rice  pronouncing 
the  tunnel  "the  wonder  of  America  and  the  world." 

At  the  same  time  that  the  construction  of  the  tunnel 
was  decided  on  steps  were  taken  for  the  construction 


CHICAGO  AVENUE  WATERWORKS. 


contract  for  the  construction  to  Doll  &  Gowan  of  Har- 
risbtirg,  Pennsylvania,  who  agreed  to  complete  it  by 
November  i,  1865,  for  $315,139,  and  broke  ground 
March  17,  1864. 

The  water  tunnel  was  to  be  five  feet  in  diameter,  and 
to  run  in  a  straight  line  at  right  angles  to  the  shore,  at 
the  pumping  station,  two  miles  out  into  the  lake,  and 
to  be  sunk  twenty-six  feet  below  the  level  of  the  lake. 
At  each  end  there  was  to  be  a  well  nine  feet  in  diameter, 
the  one  out  in  the  lake  being  an  intake,  and  the  one  on 
shore  being  a  pumping  well.  The  work  was  prosecuted 
from  both  ends  of  the  tunnel  at  once.  The  final  blow 


of  the  pumping  station  as  it  now  exists  at  the  foot  of 
Chicago  avenue.  The  new  building  was  erected  piece- 
meal on  the  same  site  as  the  old  one  in  such  a  way  as 
not  to  interfere  with  the  old  water  supply  until  the  new 
one  was  ready.  The  water  was  let  into  the  tunnel 
March  25.  1867,  and  on  the  same  day  was  laid  the  cor- 
nerstone of  the  water  tower,  100  feet  west  of  the  pump 
house.  This  tower  is  130  feet  high  and  contains  a 
standpipe  three  feet  in  diameter,  encircled  on  the  out- 
side with  a  winding  iron  stair  to  the  top.  The  water  was 
let  into  the  pumping  well  and  the  pumps  began  to 
work  July  20.  1867.  In  this  month  a  new  engine  had 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


49 


been  put  in  place  at  an  expense  of  $112,350,  with  a 
capacity  of  18,000,000  gallons  of  water  a  day. 

The  great  fire  of  1871  nearly  destroyed  the  pumping 
station,  and  three  of  its  engines  were  disabled.  The 
damage  to  the  engine  house  was  speedily  repaired,  the 
machine  shop  was  built  on  the  same  site,  and  the 
engines  put  to  work,  one  after  another,  within  three 
months.  The  loss  on  the  pumping  station,  reservoirs 
and  piping  by  the  great  fire  amounted  to  $248.910. 

In  the  year  1871-72  the  quantity  of  water  delivered 
was  8,423,890,966  gallons,  or  497,206,126  gallons  more 
than  in  the  preceding  year.  There  were  91,129  feet  of 
pipe  laid,  at  a  cost  of  $316,165,  making  the  total  amount 
of  piping  in  the  city  287  miles.  There  were  1 1 5  fire 
hydrants  erected,  making  a  total  of  1,667.  The  receipts 
from  water  assessments  and  taxes  were  $445,834,  and 
the  total  income  was  $4,127,419.  The  total  cost  of 
addition  to  the  works  was  $432,719.  The  total  expense 
of  the  waterworks  to  date  was  $4,712,615.  The  cost  of 
delivering  water  per  million  gallons  was  $12. 

In  1873,  the  pumping  station  proving  inadequate,  a 
new  engine,  designed  by  City  Engineer  Cregier  and  con- 
structed by  Knapp  Fort  Pitt  Foundry  Works,  was  pro- 
vided. Its  cylinders  were  seventy  inches  in  diameter, 
and  had  a  stroke  of  ten  feet.  The  working  beams  were 
twenty-eight  feet  long  and  weighed  twenty  tons  each. 
The  fly-wheel  was  twenty-five  feet  in  diameter  and 
weighed  forty  tons.  Its  three  boilers  were  each  twenty 
feet  long  and  twelve  feet  in  diameter.  The  engine  cost 
$188,400,  and  during  the  first  six  and  one-half  months 
pumped  6,448,000,000  gallons  of  water. 

As  the  consumption  of  water  continued  to  increase 
rapidly,  it  became  evident  in  1871  that  a  new  tunnel 
was  imperatively  demanded.  It  was  therefore  deter- 
mined to  build  a  tunnel  seven  feet  in  diameter  from  the 
crib  to  the  pumping  station,  parallel  to  the  first  tunnel. 
But  the  second  tunnel,  instead  of  stopping  at  the  pump- 
ing station,  was  continued  on  land  to  Ashland  avenue 
and  Twenty-second  street,  where  a  new  pumping  station 
was  provided  to  pump  the  water  into  the  mains  of  that 
part  of  the  city.  The  land  tunnel  is  3.92  miles  in  length. 
The  work  on  this  land  and  water  tunnel  was  begun 
January  12,  1872.  The  lake  section  was  completed 
July  7,  1874,  and  the  final  connection  with  the  land 
section  was  made  in  February  of  the  next  year,  when 
the  water  was  let  in.  The  lake  section  cost  $411,510 
and  the  land  section  $545,000,  a  total  of  $965,510. 

The  demand  for  more  water  continued  to  exist,  but 
after  1875  there  were  constant  complaints  that  the  sup- 
ply was  impure.  The  city  government  therefore 
decided  to  extend  its  tunnels  further  out  in  the  lake 
and  draw  its  supply  four  miles  from  shore,  where  it  was 
expected  the  supply  would  always  be  pure.  As  a  result 
the  four-mile  crib  was  built  off  Peck  court.  The  first 
two  miles  counting  from  the  crib  is  an  eight-foot  bore 


but  from  there  the  tunnel  was  divided  into  two  six-foot 
bores.  The  land  portion  of  the  tunnel  system  has  two 
sections.  One  of  these  runs  from  a  shaft  at  Park  row 
to  the  pumping  station  at  Indiana  avenue  and  Four- 
teenth street.  The  other  extends  in  a  northerly  direc- 
tion from  the  Peck  court  shaft  to  the  central  pumping 
station.  The  total  length  of  the  system  is  5.75  miles 
and  cost  $1,526,143.  This  great  work  was  begun  in 
1887  and  completed  five  years  later. 

Tunneling  now  became  chronic  with  the  city,  and 
in  1887-88,  a  seven-foot  tunnel  was  constructed  from 
the  North  pumping  station  eastward  to  the  breakwater 
and  an  extension  of  the  same  diameter  was  made 
between  1895  ar>d  1897  from  the  breakwater  crib  to  a 
shaft  at  the  two-mile  crib,  at  a  cost  of  $259,832.  In 
1890  a  crib  was  erected  two  miles  off  shore  at  the  foot 
of  Montrose  boulevard  and  a  tunnel  built  to  a  pumping 
station  at  a  cost  of  $530.097.  The  work  was  completed 
in  1896. 

The  greatest  work  of  tunneling  in  connection  with 
the  water  system  was  undertaken  in  1892  and  finished  in 
1897.  This  starts  at  the  great  crib  called  after  the  elder 
Carter  H.  Harrison,  located  two  miles  off  shore  at 
Sixty-eighth  street.  The  tunnel  connection  with  this 
crib  is  complicated.  A  seven-foot  tunnel  connects  the 
crib  with  the  pumping  station  at  Yates  avenue,  a  five- 
foot  tunnel  from  the  station  extends  to  and  connects 
with  a  seven-foot  tunnel  about  5,000  feet  from  shore, 
and  a  six-foot  tunnel  runs  to  a  submerged  intake  about 
4,500  feet  from  shore.  The  total  cost  of  the  tunnel 
and  crib  construction  was  $727.471. 

What  is  called  the  Northeast  crib  is  located  two 
and  a  half  miles  off  the  foot  of  Oak  street  and  is  con- 
nected with  a  shaft  on  shore  by  a  ten-foot  tunnel.  A 
land  tunnel  runs  from  Oak  street  and  Grand  avenue, 
connecting  with  the  shaft  in  Green  street.  The  second 
section  runs  from  this  point  to  a  shaft  and  pumping  sta- 
tion at  Central  Park  avenue  and  Fillmore  street.  This 
is  eight  feet  in  diameter.  A  third  section  begins  at 
Green  street  and  Grand  avenue  and  extends  to  the 
shaft  in  the  pumping  station  at  Springfield  avenue  and 
Bloomingdale  road,  with  a  diameter  of  eight  feet.  In 
this  system  the  land  and  lake  tunnels  measure  twelve 
miles  and  cost  $4,000,000. 

These  heroic  efforts  of  the  city  to  obtain  a  supply 
of  pure  water  were  successful  as  to  quantity,  but  disap- 
pointing as  to  purity.  It  was  discovered  after  years 
of  effort  and  failure  that  it  was  impossible  to  draw  pure 
water  from  the  lake  as  long  as  the  city  sewage  poured 
into  it.  This  failure  led  at  last  to  the  greatest  engi- 
neering feat  of  the  last  century,  the  turning  of  the 
Chicago  river  from  the  lake  by  the  construction  of  the 
drainage  canal  and  the  obliteration  of  the  watershed 
between  the  waters  of  the  Mississippi  and  Lake 
Michigan. 


50 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


The  following  table  shows  the  growth  of  the  water- 
works system  of  Chicago  in  five-year  periods  since 
1854,  when  the  first  large  pumping  station  was 
installed  at  Chicago  avenue. 


Gallons 

Gallons 

DATE. 

Population. 

Pumped 
Per  Day. 

Per 
Capita. 

Mileage. 

Income. 

1814 

6«;,772 

591  083 

8.9 

30  o 

1860 

109,260 

4,703,525 

43-0 

91.0 

$     131,162.00 

1870 

306,605 

21,766,260 

70.9 

272.4 

539,180.00 

1880 

491,516 

57.384.376 

116.7 

455-4 

865,618.35 

1890 

1,208,669 

152,372,288 

126.0 

i  205.0 

2,109,508.00 

1900 

1,698,575 

322,599,630 

160.6 

1,872.0 

3,250,481.85 

1904 

2,000,000 

398,985,350 

2°3-3 

1,978.0 

3,834,541.30 

This  immense  quantity  of  water  pumped  had  grown 
to  137,515,701,965  gallons  in  1903,  and  last  year  146,- 
280,598,353  gallons  were  used. 

The  capacity  of  the  Chicago  water  system  can  best 
be  judged  from  a  list  of  the  pumping  stations  and  their 
capacity  per  day  in  gallons,  together  with  the  author- 
ized increases: 


STATION. 

Present 
Capacity. 

Changes  and  Additions 
Authored. 

Total 
Capacity. 

Fourteenth  Street  
Sixty-eighth  Street   .  .  . 

West    

84,000,000 
82,000,000 

60,000,000 

20,000,000  added. 
2,  000,000  inc.  in  cap. 

84,000,000 

104,000,000 
60,000,000 

North  

65,000,000 

50,000,000  added. 

Springfield  Avenue..  .  . 
Central  Park  Avenue.  . 
Harrison  Street  

60,000,000 
60,000,000 
36,000,000 

16,000,000  taken  out. 
40,000,000  added. 
40,000,000  added. 

99,000,000 
100,000,000 
100,000,000 
36,000,000 

Lake  View  

44  000,000 

4,000,000  inc.  in  cap. 

48,000,000 

Washington  Heights..  . 
Norwood  Park 

2,900,000 

3,000,000  added. 
400,000  taken  out. 

5,500,000 

New  Roseland  Station. 

50,000,000 

50,000,000 

Totals  

494,500,000 



687,100,000 

The  annual  income  from  the  water  system  of  Chi- 
cago is  now  close  to  $4,000,000  a  year,  and  its  expendi- 
tures for  actual  operation  and  keeping  up  the  system 
less  than  $500,000.  For  the  past  few  years  about 
$1,500,000  has  been  appropriated  annually  for  the  water 
department,  but  over  a  million  of  this  has  been  used 
on  the  land  tunnels  each  year. 


At  the  same  time  that  the  water  department  earns 
so  much  money,  it  also  furnishes  water  cheaper  than 
any  other  large  city  in  the  country  whether  tested  by 
water  rates  per  1,000  gallons,  or  the  \vater  tax  for 
an  average  eight-room  residence,  as  shown  in  the  fol- 
lowing table. 


CITIES. 

Rate  per  1,000 
Gallons. 

Water  Tax  for  Eight 
Room  Residence. 

Kansas  City 

$0  ^6 

$26.50 

Omaha  

30 

St   Louis         

.30 

27.00 

Milwaukee  

20 

24    SO 

Boston  

.18 

22.OO 

Chicago     

There  can  be  no  standstill  in  the  development  of 
the  water  system  of  the  city.  Provision  must  be  made 
for  the  future.  Following  is  a  summary  of  the  most 
important  improvements  now  under  way. 


Time  of 
Completion. 

Estimated 
Cost. 

North    (Chicago    Avenue)    Pumping 
Station  

Springfield  Avenue  Pumping  Station 
Central    Park     Avenue     Pumping 
Station         .... 

1906 

90,000 

Sixty-eight  Street  Pumping  Station. 
Washington  Heights  Pumping  Station 
South  Side  (Roseland)  System  
Large  Water  Mains  

1906 
1906 
1909 
1906 

40,000 
2O.OOO 
2.OOO.OOO 

Total  cost   ... 

Many  additional  improvements  are  authorized  which 
will  cost  in  the  neighborhood  of  a  million  dollars.  These 
include  the  extension  of  the  Chicago  avenue  tunnels 
to  the  Carter  Harrison  crib,  the  reconstruction  of  the 
cross-town  tunnels  so  they  will  begin  entirely  on  city 
property,  and  new  boiler  plants. 

When  all  the  improvements  now  authorized  and 
under  way  have  been  installed,  the  total  pumping 
capacity  of  the  city's  pumping  plants  will  be  678,000,000 
gallons  per  day.  This  will  provide  for  a  daily  consump- 
tion of  217  gallons  for  a  population  of  about  2,370,000. 


CHAPTER   X. 


THE    DRAINAGE    CANAL 


JHICAGO'S  struggle  for  a  water  supply 
sufficient  to  meet  its  demands  had 
scarcely  been  won  before  an  even 
greater  problem  confronted  the  city 
— the  keeping  of  the  inexhaustible 
stores  of  Lake  Michigan  pure.  The 
constant  stream  of  sewage  poured 
into  the  Chicago  river  and  the  lake 
was  extending  the  pollution  further 
and  further  from  the  shore.  The  in- 
takes of  the  cribs  which  had  been 
forced  as  far  as  four  miles  out  into  the  lake 
were  net  beyond  the  danger  zone.  The  tunnels  might 
be  driven  double  the  distance  from  the  shore,  but  it  was 
only  a  question  of  time  until  the  pollution  would  reach 
these  new  limits. 

There  was  but  one  logical  solution  and  that  was  to 
stop  discharging  the  sewage  into  the  city's  water 
supply.  The  Chicago  river  as  the  main  drainage  chan- 
nel of  the  city  must  be  made  to  flow  away  from  the 
lake,  the  entire  sewerage  system  turned  into  it  and  the 
river  in  turn  made  to  flow  toward  the  Gulf  of  Mexico. 
To  do  this  the  portage  traversed  by  La  Salle,  Joliet  and 
Father  Marquette,  and  which  gave  to  Chicago  its  exist- 
ence, had  to  be  done  away  with  and  the  water  shed 
between  the  Great  Lakes  and  the  Mississippi  pierced  by 
a  new  channel. 

As  a  result  of  these  plans  the  drainage  canal  was 
built,  the  greatest  work  of  its  kind  in  the  last  century. 
Up  to  date  this  great  undertaking  has  cost  the  tax- 
payers of  Chicago  upwards  of  $45,000,000.  The  waters 
of  Lake  Michigan  are  flowing  into  the  Chicago  river 
and  what  was  formerly  a  black,  murky,  oily  stream  is 
now  a  clear,  swift  flowing  river. 

The  Sanitary  District  of  Chicago  was  organized 
under  an  act  of  legislature  passed  in  1889.  The  first 
board  was  elected  December  12,  of  the  same  year  to 


serve  until  December  2,  1895.  Since  that  time  the 
regular  term  of  service  of  the  trustees  has  been  five 
years.  The  primary  object  of  the  work  undertaken 
by  the  sanitary  district  is  the  protection  of  the  waters 
of  Lake  Michigan  from  sewage  pollution.  It  is  the  pur- 
pose of  the  district  to  preserve  this  great  natural  reser- 
voir in  its  purity. 

The  construction  of  the  main  drainage  channel, 
extending  from  Robey  street  at  the  Chicago  river  to 
Lockport,  a  distance  of  28.05  miles,  was  the  first  step 
taken  by  the  city  in  building  its  new  drainage  system. 
With  that  channel  complete  it  was  necessary  that  the 
Chicago  river  be  deepened  and  widened  in  order  to 
secure  an  adequate  flow  of  water  through  it  without 
injury  to  navigation.  Nor  was  this  all.  While  the 
Chicago  river  carried  off  the  bulk  of  the  city's  sewage, 
to  the  north  and  south  the  main  sewers  of  these  dis- 
tricts were  discharging  their  polluting  flow  into  the 
lake.  The  city  therefore  decided  to  construct  a  system 
of  great  intercepting  sewers,  which  were  to  divert  this 
flow  of  sewage  from  the  lake  to  the  river  and  thence 
into  the  drainage  canal.  These  intercepting  sewers 
have  been  about  completed  and  will  practically  stop  all 
pollution  of  the  lake  from  sewage  drainage  coming  from 
the  city  proper. 

This  left  the  great  suburbs  to  the  north  and  south 
still  befouling  the  lake  and  in  order  to  bring  them 
into  the  sanitary  district,  the  legislature  of  1903  enacted 
a  law  for  the  annexation  of  these  adjacent  territories. 
The  original  sanitary  district  contained  185  square 
miles.  By  the  act  of  July  14,  1903,  the  district  was 
enlarged  by  the  annexation  of  the  North  Shore  dis- 
trict, comprising  78.6  square  miles  and  the  Calumet 
district  with  94.48  square  miles.  This  brings  the  total 
area  of  the  districts  up  to  257.08  square  miles.  The 
North  Shore  district  includes  the  towns  of  Evanston, 
Niles,  New  Trier,  and  portions  of  the  townships  of 


THE    CITY    OF   CHICAGO. 


WESTERN    UNION    BUILDING. 

Northfield  and  Main  and  also  Norwood  Park.  The 
Calumet  district  takes  in  the  township  of  Calumet  and 
portions  of  Worth,  Bremen  and  Thornton.  By  the 
reversal  of  the  Calumet  river,  providing  a  gravity  flow 
therefrom  into  the  main  channel  of  the  sanitary  district 
at  Sag  valley,  that  entire  district  will  be  drained  to  the 
south. 

The  topography,  hydrography  of  the  North  Shore 
district  precludes  a  gravity  channel  and  therefore  it  is 
proposed  to  cut  a  canal  from  the  lake  at  some  point 
north  of  Evanston,  southward  to  the  north  branch  of 
the  Chicago  river  at  Lawrence  avenue.  Water  for  the 


flow  through  this  channel  will  be 
supplied  by  pumps  with  a  capacity 
of  60,000  cubic  feet  per  second. 
A  pumping  plant  is  to  be  erected 
near  the  lake  for  this  purpose. 

Water  was  first  turned  into 
the  main  channel  on  January  2, 
1900.  It  took  thirteen  days  to 
fill  the  channel  from  Western  ave- 
nue to  the  controlling  works  at 
Lockport.  January  17,  following, 
the  great  bear  trap  dam  was  low- 
ered and  the  flow  of  water  from 
Lake  Michigan  to  the  Mississippi 
and  the  Gulf  had  begun. 

The  controlling  works  are 
located  at  Lockport  at  the  end  of 
what  is  known  as  Section  15  of 
the  channel.  They  comprise 
seven  sluice  gates  of  metal,  with 
the  necessary  masonry  bulkheads 
and  one  bear  trap  dam.  The 
sluice  gates  have  a  vertical  play 
of  twenty  feet  and  openings  of 
thirty  feet  each.  The  bear  trap 
dam  has  an  opening  of  160  feet 
and  an  oscillation  of  seventeen 
feet  vertically.  This  dam  is  essen- 
tially two  great  metal  leaves 
hinged  together  and  working 
between  masonry  bulkheads.  The 
down-stream  leaf  is  securely 
hinged  to  a  very  heavy  founda- 
tion, and  the  up-stream  leaf  is  so 
placed  as  to  present  the  barrier 
to  the  water.  This  structure  is 
operated  by  admitting  water 
through  properly  constructed  con- 
duits, controlled  by  valves  beneath 
the  leaves  just  described.  To  raise 
the  crest  of  the  dam,  water  is 
admitted  from  the  up-stream  side 
and  the  discharge  shut  off  until 

the  desired  height  is  obtained,  and  then  the  valves  are 
adjusted  so  that  the  volume  of  water  beneath  the  leaves 
shall  be  constant.  To  lower  the  crest,  the  water  beneath 
the  leaves  is  drawn  off  until  the  desired  height  is 
reached,  when  the  valves  are  agin  arranged  so  as  to 
maintain  a  constant  volume  of  water. 

Beyond  the  controlling  works  the  drainage  board 
has  completed  the  work  necessary  for  conducting  the 
flow  from  the  channel  in  conjunction  with  the  waters 
of  the  Desplaines  river,  clown  the  declivity  through  the 
city  of  Joliet.  Changes  have  also  been  made  in  the  Illi- 
nois and  Michigan  canal  to  meet  the  new  conditions. 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


In  constructing  the  channel  the  work  was  divided 
into  twenty-nine  sections  numbered  from  I  to  1 5  south- 
westerly from  Willow  Springs  and  lettered  from  A  to 
O,  omitting  the  letter  J,  easterly  from  the  same  point. 
This  makes  the  sections  a  little  less  than  a  mile  long. 
Earth  was  first  broken  on  "Shovel  Day,"  September  3, 
1892,  on  the  rock  cut  just  below  Lemont. 

The  total  amount  of  excavation  involved  in  the  con- 
struction of  the  main  channel  is  26,693,000  cubic  yards 
of  glacial  drift  and  12,265,000  cubic  yards  of  solid  rock, 
a  total  of  38,958,000.  In  the  work  of  river  diversion 
1,810,652  cubic  yards  of  glacial  drift  and  258,659  of 
solid  rock  were  taken  out,  making  2,069,311  cubic 
yards.  The  work  between  Lockport  and  Joliet,  includ- 
ing the  controlling  works,  involved  1,201,724  cubic 
yards  of  excavation,  making  an  aggregate  for  the  main 
channel,  river  diversion  and  other  work,  of  42,229,035 
cubic  yards.  In  the  retaining  walls  and  bridge  masonry 
were  put  457,777  cubic  yards  all  laid  in  cement  mortar. 
The  rock  when  broken  up  expands  about  80  per  cent 
and  there  are  now  on  the  spoil  banks  along  the  channel, 
looking  like  a  diminutive  mountain  range,  22,542,586 
cubic  yards.  The  whole  volume  of  this  dumpage,  both 
rock  and  earth,  would  make  in  Lake  Michigan  in  forty 
feet  of  water,  an  island  a  mile  square  and  above  twelve 
feet  above  the  surface  of  the  lake. 

In  addition  to  this  tremendous  volume  of  excava- 
tion the  main  channel  extension  and  waterpower  devel- 
opment involves  10,500  cubic  yards  of  earth,  1,274,000 
of  rock  and  145,000  of  masonry  and  concrete. 

The  distance  from  the  mouth  of  the  Chicago  river 
to  the  juncture  of  the  west  fork  of  the  south  branch 
and  the  drainage  canal  at  Robey  street  is  six  miles. 
From  Lake  street  to  Robey  street  the  river  is  to  be 
widened  to  200  feet  and  given  a  depth  of  twenty-six 
feet  for  100  feet  in  the  middle  of  the  stream  and  shal- 
lowing to  sixteen  feet  at  the  docks.  It  is  to>  be  docked 
with  both  timber  and  concrete  along  this  entire  river 
frontage.  The  drainage  board  has  purchased  about 
500,000  square  feet  of  land  in  order  to  widen  the  chan- 
nel and  over  3,000,000  cubic  yards  of  dredging  has  been 
done  and  about  12,000  feet  of  docks  built.  As  soon 
as  the  tunnels  are  lowered  the  channel  of  the  river  will 
be  lowered  to  twenty-six  feet  the  entire  distance. 

Thirteen  bridges  have  been  built  across  the  canal 
proper,  six  for  public  highways  and  seven  for  railroads. 
The  weight  of  the  iron  and  steel  in  these  structures  is 
22,862,454.  Two  bridges  have  been  built  at  Joliet 
across  the  Desplaines  and  fourteen  will  be  built  over 
the  river  in  Chicago. 

The  general  dimensions  of  the  entire  channel  are  as 

follows: 

Miles. 
Distance  from  mouth  of  river  to  juncture  with  canal  at  Robey 

street  •  • 6 

Main  channel  proper,  Robey  street  to  Lockport 28.05 

Total   length   of   channel •  • 34-°5 


The  dimensions  of  the  canal  proper,  are :  Robey 
street  to  Summit,  7.8  miles;  no  feet  wide  at  bottom; 
198  feet  at  water  line  with  minimum  depth  of  water,  22 
feet.  Summit  to  Willow  Springs,  5.3  miles;  202  feet 
wide  at  bottom,  290  feet  wide  at  water  line  with  22  feet 
depth  of  water;  grade  of  earth  channel  i  foot  in 
40,000  feet,  or  if  inches  per  mile.  The  side  slopes 
in  earth  are  one  foot  vertical  to  two  feet  horizontal. 
At  Willow  Springs  the  channel  narrows  to  the  walled 
and  rock  cross  section,  extending  14.95  miles  to  Lock- 
port,  1 60  feet  wide  at  bottom,  162  feet  at  top;  grade  in 
rock  i  foot  in  20,000,  or  3!  inches  per  mile. 

The  velocity  in  earth  is  figured  for  i.|  miles  per 
hour  and  in  rock  1.9  miles  per  hour. 

The  total  cost  of  the  drainage  canal  and  the  supple- 
mentary improvements  in  the  river,  but  not  including 
the  intercepting  sewer  systems  is  shown  in  the  fol- 
lowing : 

Right  of  Way  ......$  5,224,784.85 

Diversion  Desplaines  River •  • 1,142,578.32 

Main  Channel — Robey  Street  to  Lockport 20,488,378.92 

Controlling    Works 339,127.00 

Desplaines  River  Improvement — Lockport  to  Joliet....  1,580,414.62 

Chicago  River  Improvement  4,103,078.89 

Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal  Improvement. 77,016.08 

Water   Power   Developing    468,380.51 

Thirty-ninth  Street  Pumps   151,024.42 

Capitalization  and  Maintenance  of  Bridges 566,833.86 

Interest  on  Bonds  and  Tax  Warrants 6,602,704.05 

Taxes     -  - 27,937.53 

Engineering  Department    1,989,014.57 

Clerical   Department    •  • 161,196.27 

Law   Department    •  • 868,512.15 

Treasury   Department    37,377-84 

Police    Department    •  • 378,603.04 

General    Account    814,307.77 

City  of  Chicago    13,434-95 

Land   Damages    76,331.84 

Marine   Damages    9,647.32 

Personal  Injuries  Account 4,082.50 

Bridgeport  Pumping  Works 90,388.80 

Special  Commission  Chicago  Drainage  Canal 33,075-97 

Telephone    Line 11,863.70 

Weir,  McKechney  &  Co. 22,118.14 

Strceter  &  Kenefick 5,020  02 

E.  D.  Smith  &  Co. 2,400.00 


Total  Disbursements $45,289,633.93 

Emergency  Funds  in  hands  of  Department 

Officials $  24,800.00 

Balance  in  hands  of  Treasurer,  December 

31,  1904  1,324,693-15  1,349,493.15 

$46,639,127.08 

The  Sanitary  district  had  collected  in  taxes  up  to 
December  31,  1904,  $29,861,623.72.  The  district  has 
issued  $24,790,000  of  bonds,  all  payable  in  currency; 
$8,000,000  being  5  per  cent  bonds,  $5,600,000  being 
4^  per  cent  bonds,  $390,000  being  3^  per  cent  bonds 
and  $10,800,000  being  4  per  cent  bonds,  running  from 
one  to  twenty  years,  except  the  3^  per  cent  bonds, 
which  runs  for  twenty  years  from  date.  One-twentieth 
of  the  issue  must  be  paid  off  and  retired  each  year.  Of 
the  total  amount  of  bonds  issued  the  sum  of  $8,380,000 
have  been  retired,  leaving  $16,410,000  outstanding 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


December  31,  1904.  The  taxes  afford  a  revenue  suffi- 
cient to  pay  the  interest  on  these  bonds,  to  pay  off  and 
retire  one-twentieth  of  the  issue  eacli  year  and  leave  a 
surplus  to  apply  upon  the  current  obligations  of  the 
district  incurred  for  construction  and  other  purposes. 
Besides  the  primary  object  of  affording  a  solution 
to  the  sanitary  problem  of  Chicago,  the  canal  is 
expected  to  develop  two  things  of  scarcely  less  impor- 
tance than  the  primary  object  itself.  One  is  a  commer- 
cial waterway,  that  will  be  of  inestimable  value,  not 
only  to  Chicago,  but  to  all  people  all  along  its  line, 
from  the  Lakes  to  the  Gulf.  The  second  is  a  great  water- 
power  which,  distributed  by  means  of  electricity,  may 
yet  line  the  banks  of  the  canal  with  factories  of  great 
importance.  The  board  is  now  developing  this  water- 
power  which  it  has  conserved,  the  legislature  in  1903 
granting  it  the  needed  authority.  The  board  has  also 
very  wisely  taken  title  to  much  of  the  land  along  the 
banks  of  the  canal,  so  that  it  will  not  have  simply  the 
power  to  supply,  but  also  the  sites  themselves.  In  this 
great  work  Chicago  has  asked  no  assistance,  either  from 
the  nation  or  the  state,  but  the  further  development  of 
the  waterway  project  to  the  Gulf  will  undoubtedly  have 
to  be  done  by  the  general  government.  It  is  estimated, 
however,  that  this  waterway  completed  to  the  Missis- 


sippi River  will  not  involve  as  great  a  cost  as  the  canal 
has  already  cost  Chicago. 

The  first  election  of  trustees  in  1889  resulted  in  the 
selection  of  John  J.  Altpeter,  Arnold  Gilmore.  Richard 
Prendergast,  W.  H.  Russell,  Frank  Wenter,  Christo- 
pher Hotz,  John  A. -King,  Murray  Nelson  and  H.  J. 
Willing.  The  board  proved  to  be  anything  but  har- 
monious. To  many  of  the  gentlemen  on  the  board  the 
important  and  practical  questions  were  entirely  new,  and 
they  found  it  impossible  for  a  majority  of  them  to  agree. 
The  result  was  that  Murray  Nelson  resigned  June  19, 
1891  :  John  A.  King,  July  22.  1891,  and  Henry  J.  Will- 
ing, September  23.  1891.  On  November  3,  1891,  Will- 
iam Boldenweck,  Lyman  E.  Cooley  and  Bernard  A. 
Eckhart  were  elected  to  fill  .the  three  vacancies.  On 
January  16,  1892,  Christopher  Hotz  resigned,  and  at 
the  next  election,  November  8,  1892,  Thomas  Kelly  was 
elected  his  successor.  By  special  provisions  of  the  law, 
the  first  term  of  the  trustees  was  six  years.  After  that 
a  new7  board  was  to  be  elected  every  five  years.  Novem- 
ber 5,  1895,  William  Boldenweck,  Joseph  C.  Braden, 
Zina  R.  Carter.  Bernard  A.  Eckhart,  Alexander  J. 
Jones,  Thomas  Kelly.  James  P.  Mallette,  Thomas  A. 
Smyth  and  Frank  Wenter  were  elected  trustees.  It  was 
under  the  superintendence  and  direction  of  these  nine 
gentlemen  that  most  of  this  great  work  has  been  done. 


••• 


MINIATURE  FORT   DEARBORN,   GARFIELD   PARK. 


CHAPTER   XI. 


CHICAGO'S    PUBLIC    SCHOOL    SYSTEM 


kN  its  public  schools  and  great  institutions 
of   learning,    Chicago    has   reached    its 
ripest  fruitage.     Three  hundred  thou- 
sand children  and  students  bear  daily 
witness   to   the   city's  devotion   to   the 
highest  ideal  of  free  education.     No 
civic  institution  is  guarded  with  such 
jealous   care.     The   schools   of   Chi- 
cago are  run  by  the  people,  for  the 
people  and  to  teach  what  the  people 
I  want. 

The  ordinance  of  1787  ordained  that 
in  the  newly  created  territory  of  Illinois,  "religion,  mor- 
ality and  knowledge  being  necessary  to  good  govern- 
ment and  the  happiness  of  mankind,  schools  and  the 
means  of  education  shall  forever  be  encouraged." 
Nowhere  in  the  vast  domain  of  the  Northwest  has 
this  idea  been  more  sacredly  guarded,  so  that  to-day 
after  a  century  of  growth  and  development,  Chicago 
with  its  public  school  system,  its  universities  and  its 
professional  schools  is  to-day  one  of  the  foremost  educa- 
tional centers  in  the  world. 

Chicago  spends  in  round  numbers  $13,000,000  a 
year  on  its  public  schools,  and  the  amount  is  constantly 
growing.  It  has  341  school  buildings,  valued  at  $31,- 
135,900.  and  many  of  them  are  of  the  most  modern 
type  of  school  architecture.  These  are  attended 
annually  by  over  282,000  pupils  and  taught  by  5,614 
teachers  and  principals.  The  total  cost  for  instruction 
per  pupil  for  last  year,  based  on  the  average  daily 
attendance,  was  about  $28.75. 

Vast  as  are  the  sums  spent  annually  for  educational 
purposes,  the  school  system  is  inadequate  to  keep  pace 
with  the  natural  increase  in  population.  The  buildings 
owned  by  the  city  contain  4,905  classrooms,  in  addition 
to  assembly  halls,  offices,  recreation  rooms  and  gymna- 
siums. Besides  these  138  classrooms  are  rented,  giving 


the  schools  a  seating  capacity  of  252,324.  This  forces 
many  children  to  be  deprived  of  a  full  day,  and  only 
half-day  sessions  are  provided  in  the  most  congested 
districts.  About  $2,500,000  is  invested  annually  by  the 
city  in  new  sites  and  buildings.  So  rapid  is  the  increase 
in  population,  however,  that  the  natural  birth  rate  of 
the  city  greatly  exceeds  this  added  capacity.  Only  by 
doubling  the  expenditures  and  building  twice  as  many 
new  schoolhouses  each  year  can  Chicago  hope  to  give 
every  child  in  the  city  equal  advantages  of  a  common- 
school  education.  There  are  now  (1905)  under  con- 
struction nineteen  new  school  buildings,  containing  414 
classrooms,  and  costing  $2,735,000.  Sites  have  been 
selected  for  forty-two  additional  buildings,  which  will 
add  658  classrooms,  and  cost  $5,300,000.  While  their 
erection  has  been  authorized  they  will  not  be  completed 
for  the  next  two  years. 

The  latest  type  of  building  is  absolutely  fireproof. 
The  school  board  is  building  none  other  at  the  present 
time.  A  complete  building  includes  twenty-six  class- 
rooms, assembly  hall  on  the  first  floor,  and  gymnasium 
above.  It  includes  the  usual  play  rooms,  toilet  rooms 
and  heating  rooms  in  the  basement,  and  space  which 
may  be  used  in  the  future  for  domestic  science  and  man- 
ual training.  There  are  also  included  the  usual  princi- 
pals' offices,  teachers'  rooms,  libraries,  etc.,  in  each 
building. 

Wherever  possible  the  sites  for  new  buildings  are 
large  enough  to  include  playgrounds  which  are 
regarded  as  essential  whenever  possible  to  acquire. 
The  board  is  building  several  12-room  school  buildings 
which,  in  each  case,  are  the  first  portions  of  future  24  or 
26-room  buildings.  They  are  so  designed  that  additions 
may  be  put  on  and  conform  to  the  original  portion.  A 
12-room  building  may  be  increased  to  16  rooms  or  20 
rooms,  or  26  rooms  without  in  any  way  differing  from 
the  ultimate  plan  for  a  complete  building. 


55 


56 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


Of  the  341  schools  there  are  three  normal  schools 
and  sixteen  high  schools.  They  have  the  highest  class 
of  equipment  and  teaching  force.  The  Wendell  Phillips 
High  school  represents  the  best  type  of  modern  school- 
house. 

With  these  material  evidences  of  development  in  the 
Chicago  school  system  are  allied  high  civic  ideals  in  the 
administration  of  the  schools,  the  modification  of  the 
course  of  study  to  conform  to  the  existing  conditions 
and  needs  of  the  pupils,  and  the  earnest  co-operation  of 
the  teaching  force  in  working  out  their  ideals. 

The  educational  spirit  of  Chicago  took  root  early. 
In  1810  John  H.  Kinzie  was  the  only  scholar  and  he 


Fort  Dearborn  she  came  with  him  and  opened  a  school 
for  children  in  the  fort  and  the  little  settlement  about 
the  fort.  Chicago  was  not  then  even  a  village.  In  1834 
the  town  made  an  appropriation  for  Miss  Chappel's 
school,  making  it  the  first  public  school  of  Chicago. 
The  following  year,  1835,  the  Rev.  Jeremiah  Porter, 
who  had  organized  the  first  church  in  Chicago,  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Eliza  Chappel,  who  had  taught  the  first 
public  school.  And  it  may  be  added  with  the  utmost 
emphasis  that  they  "lived  happily  ever  after"  for  some 
sixty  years.  Miss  Chappel  was  succeeded  as  teacher 
by  Miss  Ruth  Leavenworth,  when  Mr.  John  S.  Wright, 
built  at  his  own  expense  the  first  schoolhouse.  As  Mr. 


BAND  STAND,  GARFIELD  PARK. 


was  taught  by  Robert  A.  Forsyth,  who  subsequently 
became  paymaster  in  the  United  States  army.  The 
pupil  was  six  years  old,  his  teacher  but  thirteen.  It  was 
not  until  1816  that  William  L.  Cox,  a  discharged  soldier, 
opened  the  first  school  in  a  log  hut  on  the  Kinzie  lot, 
near  Pine  and  Michigan  streets.  Here  John  Kinzie. 
his  two  sisters  and  brother  and  three  or  four  children 
from  Fort  Dearborn  attended  school.  There  were  sev- 
eral other  private  schools  conducted  in  the  settlement 
during  the  next  eighteen  years,  but  it  was  not  until  1833 
that  the  first  "public  school"  was  started  in  Chicago. 
Miss  Eliza  Chappel  was  the  first  teacher.  She  had 
first  come  west  from  Rochester,  New  York,  as  a  teacher 
at  Mackinac.  When  Mayor  Wilcox  came  from  there  to 


Wright,  thirty  years  later,  said:  "The  honor  is  due  to 
my  sainted  mother.  Having  then  plenty  of  money  it 
was  spent  very  much  as  she  desired.  Interested  in  an 
infant  school,  she  wanted  the  building  and  it  was  built." 
The  next  teacher  was  Miss  Frances  L.  Ward,  who 
afterward  married  the  Rev.  John  Ingersoll,  father  of 
Col.  R.  G.  Ingersoll. 

The  original  school  section  as  provided  for  by  the 
ordinance  of  1787,  and  located  by  Illinois  legislation, 
was  placed  in  the  heart  of  the  present  business  section  of 
Chicago,  within  what  are  now  Madison,  State,  Twelfth 
and  Halsted  streets.  Had  some  genius  foreseen  the 
greatness  of  Chicago's  future  and  saved  this  inheritance 
for  the  public  schools  its  unparalleled  richness  would 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


57 


have  provided  a  fund  that  would  have  made  Chicago's 
schools  the  richest  in  the  world.  As  it  was  this  tract 
was  sold  at  auction  in  1833,  with  the  exception  of  four 
city  blocks,  and  the  sum  of  $38,619.47  realized.  What 
the  value  of  those  142  city  blocks  now  are  it  would  be 
hard  to  estimate.  Few  areas  of  land  in  any  of  the 
cities  of  the  world  would  command  a  higher  price 
to-day. 

In  1835  the  state  legislature  passed  an  act  to  estab- 
lish a  "special  school  system  for  township  39,  range  14, 
east  of  the  third  principal  meridian."  As  Chicago  was 
not  incorporated  until  the  following  year  that  was  as 
near  as  the  lawmakers  could  designate  it.  The  next 
legislature  having  incorporated  the  city,  made  haste  to 
provide  for  it  a  more  thoroughly  organized  common 
school  system,  with  trustees  having  full  power  to  assess 
and  collect  taxes  and  with  inspectors  with  more  or  less 
power  to  manage  school  affairs.  One  of  the  provisions 
of  the  city  charter,  approved  March  4,  1837,  reads  as 
follows : 

"Section  85.  The  common  council  shall  annually 
appoint  a  number  of  inspectors  of  common  schools  in 
said  city,  not  exceeding  twelve  and  not  less  than  five, 
which  inspectors,  or  some  of  them,  shall  visit  all  the 
public  schools  in  said  city  at  least  once  a  month,  inquire 
into  the  progress  of  the  scholars  and  the  government 
of  the  schools,  examine  all  persons  offering  themselves 
as  candidates  for  teachers,  and,  when  found  well  quali- 
fied, give  them  certificates  gratuitously,  and  remove 
them  for  any  good  cause;  and  it  shall  be  the  duty  of 
said  inspectors  to  report  to  the  common  council  from 
time  to  time  any  suggestions  and  improvements  that 
they  may  deem  necessary  or  proper  for  the  prosperity 
of  the  school." 

While  the  inspectors  were  to  be  appointed  by  the 
common  council,  the  trustees  who  had  the  power  to 
assess  and  collect  the  taxes  were  to  be  elected  by  the 
legal  voters  in  each  school  district. 

In  1839  the  city  charter  was  so  amended  by  the 
legislature  as  to  turn  over  to  the  common  council  the 
entire  responsibility  for  school  matters.  Not  only  the 
seven  persons  to  be  inspectors,  but  the  three  persons 
in  each  district  to  be  trustees,  were  to  be  appointed  by 
the  common  council.  In  1840  the  city  was  divided 
into  four  districts.  The  four  teachers  that  year  were 
each  given  a  salary  of  $400.  Only  one  school  building 
was  then  owned  by  the  city.  That  was  in  District  No.  i, 
at  the  southeast  corner  of  Madison  and  Dearborn 
streets.  There  were  reported  that  year  317  pupils  in  all, 
of  whom  64  were  studying  geography,  29  grammar, 
and  57  arithmetic.  The  number  of  white  persons  in  the 
city  under  twenty  years  of  age  was  then  2,109. 

The  first  high  school  was  established  in  1856.  The 
normal  department  in  connection  with  it  was  made,  in 
1871,  an  independent  school.  The  development  of  the 


high  school  since  then  has  been  rapid.  Sixteen  mag- 
nificent buildings  are  now  attended  by  almost  as  many 
thousand  students.  The  course  of  study  has  been  grad- 
ually advanced  and  to-day  a  diploma  from  the  Chicago 
high  schools  will  admit  into  most  of  the  colleges  and 
universities  of  the  country. 

The  central  idea  of  the  Chicago  school  system  "to 
prepare  the  pupil  for  life's  experiences"  is  exemplified 
in  the  manual  training  courses  for  the  boys  and  the 
cooking  classes  for  the  girls.  These  are  begun  in  the 
seventh  and  eighth  grades,  and  continued  in  the  high 
schools.  In  Chicago's  complex  population,  represent- 
ing nearly  every  foreign  country  on  the  globe,  the  value 
of  this  training  gives  the  child  a  new  point  of  view, 
makes  the  boy  or  girl  strive  for  higher  things  and 
reflects  itself  in  the  home  life  on  the  parents  of  the 
children  themselves. 

There  are  no  less  than  14,000  boys  and  as  many 
girls  taking  advantage  of  these  opportunities.  At  the 
Manual  Training  High  school  there  is  an  enrollment  of 
1,000  young  men  who,  while  having  the  benefit  of  a 
high-school  course  in  literature,  science  and  history, 
equal  to  any  school  of  the  kind  in  the  country,  are  lay- 
ing the  foundation  for  a  technical  training  by  working 
in  metal  and  wood. 

There  is  now  being  planned  a  great  commercial  high 
school  in  the  center  of  the  city  that  will  offer  the  same 
advantages  for  a  business  training  as  the  manual  train- 
ing school  offers  in  mechanical  lines.  This  school  will 
give  to  the  graduates  of  the  elementary  schools  an 
opportunity  to  prepare  themselves  for  business  life, 
without  the  expense  of  attending  a  commercial  college. 

But  Chicago  in  its  great  public  school  system  goes 
still  further,  and  offers  to  those  who  didn't  have  an 
opportunity  to  go  to  school  when  children,  or  who  came 
from  foreign  countries  and  want  to  learn  the  language,  a 
chance  to  learn  after  working  hours,  in  the  evening 
schools.  In-  these  classes  can  be  seen  fathers  and 
mothers  studying  with  their  children.  The  courses 
offered  are  not  confined  to  the  rudimentary  studies.  The' 
girls  and  women  are  taught  cooking  and  sewing,  and  the 
men  and  boys  are  given  instruction  in  mechanical  draw- 
ing. Business  courses  in  bookkeeping,  typewriting  and 
shorthand  are  also  offered.  The  evening  schools  are 
conducted  as  a  help  to  the  men  and  women  who  need 
help  and  to  give  them  what  they  want.  The  attend- 
ance has  been  rapidly  increasing,  showing  that  they 
are  appreciated  and  doing  the  work  of  training,  espe- 
cially the  foreigners,  in  the  fundamentals  of  good  gov- 
ernment and  citizenship. 

Chicago's  kindergarten  system  has  been  brought 
to  a  high  degree  of  efficiency.  About  half  the  schools 
have  kindergarten  classes.  These  are  attended  by  10,000 
children,  mostly  in  the  poorer  sections,  where  the  per- 
centage of  foreigners  is  great.  Many  of  the  little  folks 


58 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


INTERNATIONAL    HARVESTER    CO.'S    OFFICES. 


get  their  first  knowledge  of  the  English  language  in 
the  kindergarten. 

In  addition  to  the  great  public  schools  there  are 
many  religious  elementary  schools,  the  Catholic  church 
maintaining  no  less  than  166  in  connection  with  their 
parish  churches.  These  have  an  annual  attendance 
of  upwards  of  70,000  pupils,  which  with  the  other 
denominational  and  private  schools  swell  Chicago's 
grand  army  of  school  children  to  over  400,000. 

CHICAGO'S  UNIVERSITIES  AND  COLLEGES. 

Chicago  has  taken  her  place  among  the  great  uni- 
versity towns  of  the  world  only  during  the  last  decade. 
This  advance  movement  in  higher  education  may  be 
dated  from  the  time  of  the  Columbian  Exposition. 
Since  then  Chicago  has  made  giant  strides  as  a  center 
of  higher  education,  and  has  now  nearly  15.000  stu- 
dents engaged  in  college,  university  and  professional 
studies,  as  many  as  have  the  six  New  England  states 


combined.  If  all  these  institutions 
were  grouped  together  under  one 
head,  as  are  the  higher  educational 
schools  of  Paris,  Chicago  would 
have  the  greatest  university  in  the 
world. 

There  is  no  unity  of  control  of 
these  higher  educational  institu- 
tions. They  are  chiefly  of  three 
classes :  The  state  schools,  repre- 
sented by  the  professional  depart- 
ments of  the  University  of  Illinois ; 
the  denominational  schools,  which 
are  under  the  control  of  the 
church,  though  not  necessarily 
sectarian  in  their  teachings,  and 
the  private  institutions.  The  first 
and  second  groups  give  the  stu- 
dent vastly  more  than  he  is  asked' 
to  pay  for.  The  third  group 
includes  both  endowed  schools 
and  institutions  that  are  forced  to 
be  entirely  self-supporting. 

The  University  of  Chicago 
stands  pre-eminently  at  the  head 
of  the  higher  educational  system 
of  Chicago  and  of  the  West. 
When  the  Columbian  Exposition 
opened  it  had  been  in  existence 
but  a  few  months.  In  order  to 
make  a  good  showing  to  the 
world,  large  preliminary  subscrip- 
tions were  received,  but  its  tre- 
mendous growth  under  the  mast- 
erly direction  of  Dr.  William 

R.  Harper  has  brought  more  millions  to  its  support 
than  was  ever  dreamed  of.  even  by  that  master  mind  of 
organization.  In  1893  it  had  four  blocks  of  land  on  the 
Midway  and  a  fair  start  on  the  magnificent  quadrangle 
of  buildings.  To-day  it  owns  practically  all  the  land  on 
both  sides  of  the  Midway  plaisance.  extending  from 
Washington  Park  to  Madison  avenue,  a  distance  of 
three-quarters  of  a  mile.  It  had  700  students  in  1893; 
tr-day  it  has  nearly  5,000.  The  buildings,  the  equipment 
and  the  teaching  force  have  grown  in  proportion. 

Magnificently  supported  by  the  rich  men  of  Chicago 
it  has  back  of  it  the  good  will  and  millions  of  John  D. 
Rockefeller.  Between  him  and  President  Harper  there 
is  the  closest  bond  of  friendship  and  trust.  The  recent 
serious  illness  of  Dr.  Harper  awakened  the  sympathy  of 
the  entire  country. 

It  has  been  a  fixed  policy  with  President  Harper  to 
affiliate  with  the  university  strong  professional  schools. 
When  he  has  thought  best  he  has  founded  these  schools. 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


59 


but  more  often  has  lie  taken  them  in  as  already  estab- 
lished. The  University  of  Chicago  law  school  was 
founded  only  two  years  ago.  It  has  a  fine  building  of 
its  own  and  contains  a  library  of  40,000  volumes.  Like 
the  other  professional  schools  of  the  university  it  is  pre- 
eminently a  graduate  school. 

The  medical  school  of  the  university  was  formerly 
Rush  Medical  College.  Since  it  was  incorporated  into 
the  university  its  requirements  for  the  enrollment  of 
students  has  been  raised  and  its  equipment  and  teach- 
ing force  enlarged.  Its  enrollment  is  about  300. 

The  College  of  Education  of  the  University  of  Chi- 
cago was  founded  by  Mrs.  Emmons  Elaine.  It  serves 
the  double  purpose  of  a  training  school  for  teachers  and 
an  experimental  station  for  the  professors  and  students 
of  psychology  at  the  University.  The  University  Col- 
lege was  also  endowed  by  Mrs.  Elaine.  It  is  a  down- 
town branch  of  the  University  where  classes  are  given 
in  the  afternoon  and  evening  and  on  Saturdays  for  the 
benefit  of  teachers  and  other  students  who  cannot 
attend  the  regular  lectures  at  the  university. 

The  University  High  School  resulted  from  a  consoli- 
dation of  the  Chicago  Manual  Training  School  and 
the  South  Side  Academy.  Not  counting  the  students  of 
this  department  and  in  other  preparatory  schools  con- 
trolled by  or  a  part  of  the  University,  the  total  registra- 
tion last  year  was  4,580. 

The  University  of  Illinois  has  located  all  its  pro- 
fessional schools  in  Chicago  because  of  the  better  facili- 
ties and  the  larger  field.  Here  are  the  schools  of  phar- 
macy, school  of  medicine,  dental  school  and  law  school. 

Northwestern  University  in  Evanston  is  practically 
one  of  Chicago's  institutions  of  higher  education.  It 
is  only  a  matter  of  a  few  years  until  that  delightful 
suburb  adjoining  the  city  to  the  north  will  be  knocking 
for  admittance.  Already  Northwestern  University  has 
its  four  professional  schools  in  the  downtown  district. 
The  schools  of  law,  pharmacy  and  dental  surgery  occupy 
the  Northwestern  University  building  at  Lake  and  Dear- 
born streets,  which  was  formerly  the  Tremont  House. 
The  school  of  medicine  has  a  fine  building  of  its  own  on 
the  South  Side.  The  total  registration,  not  including 
preparatory  students,  exceeds  2.700. 

Armour  Institute  of  Technology  was  founded  in 
1892  by  Mr.  Philip  D.  Armour  of  Chicago.  The  work  of 
instruction  was  begun  in  September,  1893,  and  is  now 
carried  on  in  the  buildings  at  the  corners  of  Thirty-third 
street  and  Armour  avenue.  The  artistic  and  technical 
branches  of  the  course  in  architecture  are  conducted  at 
the  Art  institute,  Michigan  avenue  and  Adams  street. 
The  technical  laboratory  work  of  the  course  in  fire  pro- 
tection engineering  is  given  at  the  Underwriters'  labora- 
tory, 382  East  Ohio  street,  Chicago.  Honorable  places 
are  accorded  athletics,  all  indoor  work  being  done  in 
the  gymnasium  in  the  main  building,  and  all  outdoor 


work  on  Ogden  field,  which  was  recently  presented  to 
the  institute  by  Mr.  J.  Ogden  Armour. 
The  institute  consists  of: 

1.  The  College  of  Engineering. 

2.  Armour  Scientific  Academy. 

3.  The  Evening  Classes. 

4.  The  Summer  School. 

5.  The  Department  of  Commercial  Tests. 


e  oege  o  ngneerng  oers  courses  n 
mechanical  engineering,  electrical  engineering,  civil 
engineering,  chemical  engineering,  fire  protection  engi- 
neering, general  science  and  architecture,  all  leading 
to  the  degree  of  bachelor  of  science. 

Armour  Scientific  Academy  prepares  young  men  for 
admission  to  the  engineering  courses  of  the  College  of 
Engineering,  or  to  the  leading  colleges  and  univer- 
sities. 


ARMOUR    INSTITUTE. 


60 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


The  evening  classes  provide  courses  in  engineering 
and  kindred  subjects  adapted  to  the  needs  of  those  who 
are  employed  in  technical  pursuits  during  the  day. 

The  summer  school  offers  courses  designed  to  meet 
the  wants  of  teachers  and  special  students  who  desire 
to  extend  their  knowledge  of  scientific  and  technical 
subjects,  of  undergraduates  who  desire  to  shorten  their 
regular  courses,  of  new  students  who  are  deficient  in 
certain  studies  required  for  entrance,  and  of  those  who 
are  unable  to  attend  during  the  school  year. 

The  department  of  commercial  tests  offers  facilities 
for  all  sorts  of  special  tests  and  investigations. 

The  president,  the  Rev.  Dr.  F.  W.  Gunsaulus,  has 
under  his  jurisdiction  a  staff  of  sixty  instructors.  The 
total  number  of  students  enrolled  during  I9O4-'O5 
was  1,585. 

The  Lewis  Institute  in  West  Madison  street  was 
founded  by  Allen  C.  Lewis.  He  left  a  fund  for  its 
endowment  which  should  be  invested  until  it  amounted 
to  $800,000  and  then  turned  over  to  the  founding  of  a 


school.  The  plant  and  investments  of  the  institute  now 
aggregate  a  million  and  a  half  dollars.  It  offers  tech- 
nical and  manual  training  courses  as  well  as  literary  and 
high  school  courses.  Like  the  Armour  Institute,  it  is 
open  to  students  at  night. 

St.  Ignatius  College  is  the  largest  of  the  Catholic 
schools  of  higher  education  in  Chicago.  It  has  a  strong 
faculty  and  offers  academic  and  university  courses : 
Mayor  Harrison  is  a  graduate  of  St.  Ignatius.  It  is  in 
a  prosperous  condition  and  growing  in  strength  and 
influence. 

There  are  six  large  theological  schools  in  Chicago, 
besides  several  smaller  ones  and  several  just  outside  the 
city  limits.  There  are  thirteen  large  medical  schools,  a 
dozen  schools  of  pharmacy,  otology,  ophthalmology, 
odontology,  and  two  large  law  schools,  besides  those 
named. 

Chicago  has  also  seven  dramatic  schools  and  many 
colleges  of  music,  besides  those  connected  with  the 
larger  universities,  and  the  Art  Institute  contains  the 
largest  art  class  in  the  country. 


DOUGLAS    PARK. 


CHAPTER   XII. 


CHICAGO'S     LIBRARIES 


)HICAGO'S  great  libraries  contain 
approximately  1,700,000  volumes. 
The  public  library  has  the  greatest 
patronage  of  any  similar  institution 
in  the  world.  Last  year  the  aggre- 
gate circulation  was  1,721,186  vol- 
umes, which  went  to  the  homes  of 
Chicago's  reading  public.  Of  this 
number,  662,896  volumes  were  taken 
out  from  the  thirty-eight  delivery 
stations  scattered  throughout  the 
city  and  the  T.  B.  Blackstone  Memorial 
branch  library  at  Forty-ninth  street  and  Lake  avenue. 
As  a  factor  in  the  educational  life  of  Chicago  this 
great  system  is  only  second  to  the  public  schools.  Read- 
ing rooms  are  maintained  in  the  three  great  sub-divi- 
sions of  the  city  in  connection  with  the  public  library, 
and  the  other  institutions  supplement  this  service.  The 
professional  schools  and  universities  maintain  libraries 
of  unexcelled  excellence.  That  of  the  University  of 
Chicago  alone  containing  over  400,000  volumes  and 
165,000  pamphlets.  All  this  in  a  municipality  that  had 
no  existence  before  the  law  seventy-five  years  ago  and 
was  but  a  frontier  fort  at  the  beginning  of  the  last 
century. 

Like  all  of  Chicago's  institutions,  its  libraries  had  a 
humble  beginning.  John  S.  Wright  carried  the  first 
library  tied  up  in  his  handkerchief.  It  was  the  library 
in  connection  with  the  first  Sunday-school,  in  1832,  and 
Mr.  Wright  has  the  honor  of  being  Chicago's  first 
librarian.  His  mother,  it  was,  who  at  her  own  expense 
built  the  first  building  devoted  to  the  uses  of  a  school. 
The  first  donation  for  a  public  library  in  the  city 
was  made  by  a  couple  of  real  estate  speculators  from 
New  York.  They  sent  a  package  of  200  books  which 
had  cost  perhaps  $50  for  a  public  library.  In  1835  the 
intellectual  life  of  the  town  centered  around  the  Chi- 


cago Lyceum.  It  was  a  debating  society  that  furnished 
an  opportunity  for  the  social  and  literary  advancement 
of  the  community.  Among  its  membership  was  every 
man  of  any  note  in  any  trade  or  profession  in  the  city. 
It  had  a  library  of  300  volumes,  which  at  that  early  day 
was  greatly  appreciated. 

The  next  movement  that  fostered  the  library  idea 
was  the  founding  of  the  Mechanics'  Institute  in  1837. 
It  was  incorporated  six  years  later  and  had  for  one  of 
its  aims  the  "creation  of  a  library  and  museum  for  the 
benefit  of  mechanics  and  others."  By  1843  it  had 
gathered  a  library  of  over  1,000  volumes.  The  fire  of 
1871  swept  a\vay  its  books  and  other  property. 

The  Young  Men's  Association  which  was  organized 
in  January,  1841,  had  as  one  of  its  objects  the  establish- 
ing of  a  library.  Walter  I.  Newberry,  who  in  after  life 
provided  for  one  of  the  finest  libraries  now  in  Chicago, 
was  chosen  as  the  first  president.  A  reading  room  was 
at  once  opened  and  Mr.  Newberry  furnished  a  nucleus 
for  a  library.  When  the  association  was  incorporated 
in  1851  it  had  a  library  of  2,500  volumes.  This  had 
grown  to  9,000  volumes  by  1866.  Two  years  later,  in 
1868,  the  Young  Men's  Association  was  reorganized 
and  its  name  changed  to  the  Chicago  Library  Associa- 
tion. This  was  the  beginning  of  the  free  library  move- 
ment, though  its  property  and  books  were  wiped  out  by 
the  fire  of  1871. 

In  April,  1856,  the  Chicago  Historical  Society  was 
formed.  The  Rev.  William  Barry  was  the  genius  of 
the  movement.  He  was  its  secretary  and  devoted  him- 
self to  its  interest  with  contagious  enthusiasm.  He 
secured  the  collection  of  over  3,000  volumes  the  first 
year.  The  society  was  incorporated  in  1857.  Within 
two  years  it  had  over  18,000  volumes.  The  fire  of  1871 
consumed  60,000  volumes,  1,738  files  of  newspapers 
and  a  vast  number  and  variety  of  documents,  many  of 
which  could  never  be  replaced.  Another  fire  in  1874 


61 


G2 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


proved  similarly  disastrous.  The  present  building  is 
deemed  absolutely  fireproof.  It  cost  $150,000  and  was 
opened  May,  1894.  It  has  now  a  collection  of  over 
40,000  volumes  and  75,000  unbound  volumes  and  pam- 
phlets, besides  numberless  documents,  maps  and  other 
insignia  of  value.  The  Union  Catholic  Library  was 
organized  in  1868. 

It  is  a  fact  of  more  than  local,  indeed  of  international, 
interest  that  the  initiative  in  the  establishment  of  the 
Chicago  Free  Public  Library  was  taken  by  an  English- 
man, Thomas  Hughes,  author  of  Tom  Brown  at 
Rugby,  etc.,  of  London. 

The  great  fire  of  1871  had  well  night  swept  Chicago 


warded  to  Chicago.  This  collection  formed  the  begin- 
ning of  what  \vas  presently  to  be  the  Chicago  Free 
Public  Library. 

Mr.  Hughes  appealed  to  the  people  of  England  to 
give  to  Chicago  "a  new  library  as  a  work  of  sympathy 
now  and  a  token  of  that  sentiment  of  kinship  which, 
independently  of  circumstances  and  irrespective  of  every 
other  consideration,  must  ever  exist  between  the  differ- 
ent branches  of  the  English  race."  As  Mr.  Azel  F. 
Hatch,  the  president  of  the  board  of  directors  of  the 
library,  said  of  this  movement  at  the  dedication  of  the 
new  building :  "It  crystallized  the  sentiment  that  a 
public  library  was  a  necessity,  and  prompted  our  citi- 


THE    CHICAGO    PUBLIC    LIBRARY. 


out  of  existence.  Never  before  in  the  history  of  the 
world  had  such  a  passion  of  sympathy  swept  over  the 
country  and  manifested  itself  in  such  unprecedented 
ways  in  all  civilized  countries.  At  a  meeting  of  the 
Association  of  English  Authors,  of  which  Thomas 
Hughes  was  chairman,  the  immediate  needs  of  the 
afflicted  city  were  discussed.  It  was  not  thought  that 
anybody  then  could  want  for  bread ;  it  was  felt  that 
they  would  suffer  for  a  time  at  least  for  want  of  books. 
An  appeal,  headed  by  Queen  Victoria,  signed  by 
Thomas  Hughes,  Thomas  Carlyle,  Gladstone.  Disraeli, 
Spencer,  Tyndall,  Tennyson  and  others,  addressed  to 
authors,  publishers  and  booksellers,  was  sent  forth.  The 
result  was  that  7,000  volumes  were  collected  and  for- 


zens  to  express  their  appreciation  of  the  generous  and 
sympathetic  donation  by  founding  this  library  and  pro- 
viding a  place  to  receive  and  forever  keep  sacred  this 
testimonial  of  universal  brotherhood." 

At  a  public  meeting  in  Plymouth  Church,  Mayor 
Medill  presiding,  January  8,  1872,  measures  were  taken 
to  secure  from  the  State  Legislature,  then  in  session,  an 
act  enabling  the  city  to  provide  by  taxation  for  a  free 
library.  It  was  what  was  known  as  the  splendid  action 
of  Thomas  Hughes  and  others  in  England  which  was 
the  immediate  occasion  of  this  action  on  the  part  of 
the  city. 

The  library  was  opened  January  i,  1873.  Mr.  Will- 
iam F.  Poole,  author,  but  not  finisher,  of  that  invaluable 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


63 


and  never-ending  work,  "Poole's  Index,"  was  the  first 
librarian,  a  man  of  extraordinary  ability  and  experience, 
fitting  him  for  the  great  task  of  creating  and  organizing 
the  library.  He  continued  in  this  position  until  1887, 
when  he  became  librarian  of  the  new  Newberry  Library. 
He  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  Frederick  H.  Hild,  who 
remains  in  place  to  date. 

The  new  library  building  was  open  to  the  public 
October  u,  1897.  The  total  cost  of  the  building,  with 
its  fixtures,  machinery,  etc.,  was  $2,125,000.  It  had 


monuments  to  the  commercial  spirit  and  liberality  of 
its  citizens.  The  Newberry  Library  and  the  John  Crerar 
Library  are  sustained  by  the  funds  provided  by  the 
founders  after  whom  they  are  named. 

By  the  provisions  of  the  will  of  Walter  L.  Newberry, 
who  died  November  6,  1868,  one-half  of  his  estate  was 
given  for  founding  a  free  public  library  to  be  located 
on  the  North  Side.  It  was  not  until  1885  that  the  estate 
was  divided  when  property  valued  at  $2,149,403  was 
set  aside  for  the  library  enterprise.  The  value  of  this 


THE    NEWBERRY    LIBRARY. 


been  formally  dedicated  two  days  before,  the  anniversary 
of  the  fire. 

The  total  number  of  volumes  at  the  close  of  the 
library  year  1904,  was  290,277  volumes.  The  circula- 
tion for  the  year  was  1,721,186  volumes,  which  does  not 
include  the  use  of  the  books  kept  open  on  the  reference 
shelves  nor  the  periodicals  and  newspapers  in  the  read- 
ing rooms.  The  greatest  freedom  is  allowed  under  the 
rules  of  the  public  library.  Membership  in  the  library 
can  be  secured  by  anyone  presenting  a  certificate  from 
a  property  owner,  guaranteeing  the  library  against  loss. 

The  two  other  great  public  libraries  of  Chicago  are 


endowment  has  steadily  increased  and  is  worth  at  least 
a  million  more  than  when  first  turned  over.  In  1889 
the  ''Ogden  block,"  where  the  magnificent  building 
now  stands,  was  purchased.  The  building  was  com- 
pleted in  1894  and  in  its  commodious  halls  is  one  of  the 
finest  collection  of  reference  books  in  the  world.  In 
the  departments  of  music,  medicine,  art  and  antiquity 
it  is  especially  strong.  It  is  entirely  a  reference  library 
and  no  books  are  circulated.  It  contains  about  300.000 
books  and  pamphlets.  John  Vance  Cheney  is  librarian. 
The  John  Crerar  Library  is  the  third  of  Chicago's 
great  public  institutions  of  the  kind.  It  is  planned  to 


64 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


erect  a  magnificent  home  for  it  in  Grant  Park  on  the 
Lake  Front,  when  its  collection  of  over  150,000  volumes 
on  the  social,  physical  and  natural  sciences  will  be 
transferred  from  their  temporary  quarters  in  the  Field 
building.  A  portion  of  the  income  from  the  endowment 
has  been  set  aside  each  year  for  a  building  fund  and 
as  soon  as  a  site  is  provided  the  work  of  erecting  the 
building  will  be  begun.  Its  character  as  a  scientific 
library  has  been  strictly  adhered  to.  John  Crerar  in  his 
will  expressed  a  desire  "that  the  books  and  periodicals 
be  selected  with  a  view  to  create  and  sustain  a  healthy 
moral  and  Christian  sentiment."  Clement  W.  Andrews 
is  in  charge,  as  librarian. 

In  point  of  number  of  volumes  the  University  of 
Chicago  Library  is  the  largest  in  the  city.  Like  the 
university  it  is  built  on  stupendous  lines  and  contains 
over  400,000  books  and  165,000  pamphlets.  Its  use  is 
not  restricted  to  the  students  of  the  University  and 


others  may  have  all  the  privileges  on  the  payment  of  a 
small  fee.  Complimentary  cards  for  four  weeks  are  also 
issued  to  properly  credited  scholars  visiting  Chicago. 
Zella  Allen  Dixson  is  librarian. 

The  other  libraries  in  Chicago  and  its  immediate 
vicinity  with  the  number  of  volumes  they  contain  follow : 
Field  Columbian  Museum,  32,000;  Lewis  Institute, 
12,000;  Northwestern  University,  91,000;  Evanston, 
34,600;  Garrett  Biblical  Institute,  20,200;  Ryerson, 
3,500;  Academy  of  Science,  19,800;  St.  Ignatius  Col- 
lege, 20,000;  Western  Society  of  Engineers,  5,000;  Chi- 
cago Law  Institute,  40,000;  Hammond,  23,000;  Pull- 
man, 9,000. 

All  these  libraries  are  in  a  flourishing  condition  and 
steadily  growing.  There  are  also  besides  these  a  large 
and  fast-increasing  number  of  private  libraries  of  great 
costliness  and  special  value. 


HUMBOLDT    PARK    OFFICE    BUILDING. 


CHAPTER   XIII. 


CHICAGO    AS    AN    ART    CENTER. 


HICAGO'S  spirit  of  commercialism  has 
been  the  foundation  for  her  artistic 
development.  It  has  made  condi- 
tions possible  for  the  success  of  her 
inspiring  youth  in  the  finer  accom- 
plishments of  life.  With  the  tre- 
mendous wealth  it  has  produced 
came  the  means  for  gratifying  the 
love  of  the  beautiful  and  the  encour- 
agement of  the  artistic  spirit  of  the 
community.  This  spirit  has  found 
expressions  in  an  unrivaled  park  system  in 
many  superior  private  collections  of  works  of  art  and 
most  forcibly  in  the  Art  Institute  of  Chicago. 

Housed  in  a  beautiful  structure  on  the  Lake  Front, 
the  Art  Institute  is  naturally  and  logically  the  focus  and 
stimulus  of  the  art  efforts  of  Chicago  and  of  a  great 
part  of  the  western  and  middle  states.  It  has  enrolled 
over  2,500  students  that  come  from  all  sections  of  the 
United  States,  Mexico  and  Canada.  The  Academy  of 
Fine  Arts  and  a  dozen  lesser  schools  and  studios  and 
private  classes  will  bring  this  number  to  over  5,000,  a 
serious  band  of  young  American  men  and  women  who 
are  devoting  their  efforts  to  the  pictorial  and  plastic 
arts. 

A  liberal  share  of  the  profits  of  Chicago's  great  com- 
mercial enterprise  has  been  devoted  -to  art.  The  gal- 
leries of  the  institute  bear  witness  to  this  generosity. 
They  have  been  enriched  by  donations  from  private  cit- 
izens as  few  other  art  museums  in  this  country  have 
been.  Here  the  richest  and  most  judicious  collectors 
have  brought  their  treasure  for  the  benefit  of  the  public. 
This  is  characteristic  of  Chicago.  While  in  other  cities 
many  priceless  treasures  of  art  are  kept  aloof  from  the 
many  and  for  the  enjoyment  of  the  few  fortunate  to 
possess  enough  wealth  to  own  them,  in  Chicago  there 

5  65 


has  been  that  public  spirit  which  has  donated  them  to 
a  public  institution  for  the  benefit  of  all. 

The  Art  Institute  galleries  are  open  free  to  the  pub- 
lic 1 60  days  of  the  year,  and  nowhere  has  the  public 
shown  such  appreciation  of  the  privilege.  Nearly  a 
million  visitors  come  to  the  Art  Institute  in  a  year 
to  inspect  the  pictures,  sculptures  and  curios  with 
which  its  galleries  have  been  enriched  by  the  liberality 
of  the  donations  from  private  citizens.  While  not  the 
richest,  it  has  one  of  the  most  comprehensive  exhibi- 
tions of  art  works  in  the  world.  Upon  its  walls  and 
within  its  aisles  may  be  found  examples  of  nearly  every 
famous  master  and  celebrated  school  in  the  history  of 
picture  and  plastic  art.  Its  teachers  and  lectures  are 
representatives  of  the  best  there  is  in  the  art  schools 
of  America,  and  its  classes  are  drawn  from  the  farms, 
villages  and  cities  which  stand  for  all  that  is  most  virile, 
most  ambitious  and  youngest  in  the  art  movement  of 
the  United  States. 

The  Art  Institute  was  established  a  quarter  of  a 
century  ago.  Its  purpose  as  defined  in  its  articles  of 
incorporation  was  for  "the  founding  and  maintenance 
of  schools  of  art  and  design,  the  formation  and  exhibi- 
tion of  collections  of  objects  of  art  and  the  cultivation 
and  extension  of  the  arts  of  design  by  appropriate 
means."  How  well  it  has  carried  out  this  purpose 
is  manifest  in  the  incomparable  success  it  has  attained. 

George  Armour  was  the  first  president  and  after 
he  had  completed  a  year  of  service  he  was  succeeded 
by  Levi  Z.  Leiter,  who  held  the  position  for  two  years. 
He  was  followed  by  Charles  L.  Hutchinson,  who  has 
been  continued  year  after  year.  Under  the  stimulus 
of  his  enthusiasm  the  real  work  of  the  institute  began 
and  attained  its  final  success.  Mr.  Hutchinson  and 
Samuel  M.  Nickerson  are  the  only  persons  remaining 
who  have  been  trustees  during  the  whole  history  of  the 


66 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


institution.  William  M.  R.  French,  the  present  director, 
has  been  in  charge  of  the  institute  since  its  founding 
and  the  financial  affairs  have  been  directed  during  that 
time  by  Newton  H.  Carpenter. 

Under  the  able  direction  of  Mr.  French  the  museum 
and  school  has  taken  a  front  rank  and  he  has  brought 
to  its  support  many  public-spirited  citizens.  For  three 
years  it  had  rooms  at  State  and  Adams  streets.  Mr. 
French  at  once  started  a  school  of  art  in  connection 
with  the  institute  and  encouraged  the  holding  of  exhibi- 
tions. In  1882  a  site  was  purchased  at  the  corner  of 


to  assist  in  the  erection  of  a  building  for  the  holding 
of  the  World's  Congresses  of  Religions.  The  fair  direc- 
tors had  appropriated  $200,000  for  this  purpose  and 
the  Art  Institute  officers  agreed  to  add  whatever 
amounts  were  necessary  to  this  to  put  up  a  permanent 
structure,  which,  after  serving  the  purposes  of  the 
World's  Congresses  should  be  permanently  occupied 
by  the  Art  Institute.  Permission  was  obtained  from 
the  city  and  the  abutting  property  owners  for  the 
use  of  the  Lake  Front  property  and  the  present  museum 
building  erected  at  a  cost  of  $648,000.  The  exposition 


full 


THE    ART   INSTITUTE. 


Michigan  avenue  and  Van  Buren  street  and  a  substan- 
tial brick  building  erected.  Three  years  later  additional 
property  was  secured  and  the  building  now  occupied  by 
the  Chicago  Club  erected.  This  building  was  dedicated 
in  November,  1887,  but  it  soon  was  outgrown  although 
additions  were  made  to  it  during  the  next  five  years. 
In  1892  the  structure  was  sold  to  the  Chicago  Club  and 
the  enterprise  of  erecting  the  present  magnificent  build- 
ing undertaken. 

Taking  advantage  of  the  opportunities  offered  by 
the  \Vorld's  Fair  in  1892,  the  Art  Institute  entered  into 
a  compact  with  the  Columbian  Exposition  directors 


company  paid  $200,000  of  this  sum  and  the  Art  Insti- 
tute $448,000,  most  of  which  was  realized  from  the  sale 
of  the  old  building,  at  Van  Buren  street  and  Michigan 
avenue.  The  ownership  of  the  building  was  vested  in  the 
city  until  1904  when  it  was  turned  over  to  the  South 
Park  commissioners,  while  the  right  of  use  and  occupa- 
tion was  vested  in  the  Art  Institute,  as  long  as  it  shall 
fulfill  the  purposes  for  which  it  was  organized.  A  special 
provision  was  also  made  for  keeping  it  open  free  to  the 
public  three  times  a  week. 

In  possession  of  this  magnificent  structure  on  the 
Lake  Front  the  Art  Institute  at  once  began  to  receive 


THE  CITY  OF  CHICAGO. 


67 


generous  recognition  from  art  patrons.  Within  a  year 
after  its  completion  it  received  gifts  of  fine  art  objects 
equal  in  value  to  half  of  the  cost  of  the  new  structure. 
More  than  an  equal  amount  has  since  been  received, 
which  never  would  have  been  offered  if  a  proper  place 
had  not  been  provided  for  their  reception. 

During  1897  Charles  W.  Fullerton  donated  funds  to 
build  a  lecture  room  in  accordance  with  the  original 
plans  of  the  building,  as  a  memorial  to  his  father, 
Alexander  N.  Fullerton.  In  igoo-'oi  the  Ryerson 
Library  was  built  and  donated  by  Martin  A.  Ryerson, 
one  of  the  trustees.  It  contains  about  4,000  volumes 
strictly  confined  to  fine  art  and  includes  many  valuable 
works.  It  is  a  beautiful  and  commodious  building  and  is 
consulted  annually  by  over  50,000  persons.  In  1903  a 
great  sculpture  hall,  comprising  the  fourth  side  of  the 
building,  was  erected  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Timothy  B. 
Blackstone.  The  hall  was  named  after  the  donors,  who 
also  presented  the  great  collection  of  architectural  casts 
by  which  it  is  filled.  Before  the  original  design  of  the 
building  is  completed  there  will  be  added  a  grand 
central  stairway  and  dome  and  extensive  galleries  over 
the  Blackstone  Sculpture  Hall. 

During  the  past  ten  years  the  collections  given  to 
the  care  of  the  institute  have  been  numerous  and  impor- 
tant. It  now  ranks  in  this  respect  among  the  first  three 
or  four  of  the  country.  Among  these  contributions  are 
the  following : 

The  Henry  Field  collection  of  paintings  presented 
by  the  widow  of  Mr.  Field.  It  comprises  forty-one 
pictures  and  represents  chiefly  the  Barbizon  School  of 
French  Painting. 

The  Munger  collection  bequeathed  by  Albert  A. 
Munger  after  they  had  been  on  exhibition  in  the  insti- 
tute some  time.  This  fine  collection  of  paintings  is  one 
of  the  most  comprehensive  in  the  galleries. 

The  Nickerson  collections  presented  by  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Samuel  M.  Nickerson,  comprising  a  fine  array  of 
Japanese,  Chinese  and  East  Indian  objects  of  art  and 
a  collection  of  modern  paintings.  The  Nickersons  also 
bore  the  expense  of  fitting  up  two  galleries  and  the 
adjacent  corridor  with  marble  wainscoting  and  mosaic 
floor  for  the  reception  of  the  collection.  This  is  the 
most  magnificent  single  gift  received  by  the  institute  up 
to  this  time. 

The  Elbridge  G.  Hall  collection  of  sculpture  donated 
by  Mrs.  A.  M.  H.  Ellis.  It  includes  only  life-sized 
facsimiles  of  original  works  of  sculpture,  both  of  the 
renaissance  and  modern  schools,  the  contemporary  col- 
lection being  the  finest  in  America. 

The  Higinbotham  collection  comprising  109  fac- 
simile reproductions  of  the  antique  bronzes  of  the 


Naples  museum,  statues,  busts,  tripods,  statuettes,  lamps 
and  other  objects  found  at  Herculaneum  and  Pompeii. 
The  collection  was  presented  by  Harlow  N.  Higin- 
botham. 

One  of  the  most  notable  additions  to  the  collections 
of  the  galleries  was  the  purchase  of  thirteen  paintings 
from  the  Demidoff  collection  in  1890.  These  are  works 
of  the  highest  value  by  the  old  masters  of  the  Dutch 
school  and  the  reception  of  these  pictures  marked  an 
epoch  in  the  artistic  development  of  the  city. 

The  total  endowments  of  the  institute  only  aggre- 
gate $163,400  and  most  of  this  is  restricted.  In  fact, 
only  $39,400  is  for  the  general  purposes  of  the  insti- 
tute. Heretofore  its  support  has  been  derived  wholly 
from  membership,  dues,  door  fees  and  voluntary  con- 
tributions. There  are  about  2,000  annual  and  400  life 
members  of  various  classes.  Annual  members  pay 
$10  a  year  and  life  members  $100  and  henceforth  are 
exempt.  Governing  members  pay  $100  upon  election 
and  $25  a  year  clues.  Upon  payment  of  $400  govern- 
ing members  become  life  governing  members.  Since 
the  transfer  of  the  Art  Institute  to  the  park  commis- 
sioners they  have  been  authorized  by  the  legislature  to 
permit  extensions  of  the  building  and  levy  a  tax  for  its 
support  and  that  of  the  Field  Columbian  Museum.  This 
will  be  a  great  advantage  to  the  institute  and  allow 
the  use  of  the  membership  dues  and  donations  to  be 
used  in  the  purchase  of  additional  works  of  art. 

Such  has  been  the  progress  of  the  Chicago  Art 
Institute  in  the  twenty-five  years  of  its  existence,  prac- 
tically without  an  endowment  and  supported  mainly 
by  the  openhanded  liberality  of  hundreds  of  its  public- 
spirited  men  and  women.  This  fact  has  made  it  more 
dear  to  Chicago  and  though  in  time  it  will  enjoy,  no 
doubt,  the  millions  of  many  of  its  present  supporters, 
the  fact  that  it  was  not  the  growth  of  the  munificence 
of  any  single  person  will  bring  a  riper  fruitage  in  the 
future. 

In  directing  the  artistic  development  of  Chicago 
in  the  past  few  years,  the  Municipal  Art  League  has 
had  an  important  part.  The  objects  of  the  organiza- 
tion are  to  encourage  the  improvement  of  the  thorough- 
fares, public  buildings  and  places  of  the  city  along  purely 
artistic  lines.  It  also  aims  to  show  officials  and  people 
the  best  methods  of  bringing  about  artistic  municipal 
improvements  and  create  in  the  individual  a  spirit  of 
co-operation  in  the  care  of  private  property.  While  the 
membership  of  the  league  is  selected  by  the  mayor  it 
has  only  advisory  functions.  Its  governing  board  con- 
sists of  the  mayor  or  commissioner  of  public  works, 
three  park  commissioners,  three  sculptors,  three  archi- 
tects and  three  painters.  Since  its  incorporation  in 
1901,  the  league  has  made  many  valuable  suggestions. 


CHAPTER   XIV. 


THE   CHURCHES   OF   CHICAGO. 


HICAGO'S  spiritual  and  temporal 
developments  have  gone  hand  in 
hand.  From  the  first  discovery  of 
the  portage  between  the  waters  of 
the  Great  Lakes  and  the  Mississippi, 
when  Father  Marquette  and  La  Salle 
pierced  the  northwestern  wilderness, 
the  two  great  forces  of  advancing 
civilization  went  hand  in  hand.  As 
the  city  has  grown  rich  and  powerful, 
so  the  churches  have  increased  in 
wealth  and  influence,  until  they  number 
nearly  a  thousand  with  a  membership  of  over  a 
million. 

To  a  Catholic  priest  belongs  the  honor  of  having 
conducted  the  first  religious  service  in  the  territory  now 
embraced  in  the  limits  of  the  City  of  Chicago.  Father 
Badin,  who  is  credited  with  being  the  first  priest 
ordained  in  America,  came  to  Chicago  in  1796,  three 
years  after  his  admission  to  the  priesthood  in  Baltimore. 
His  second  visit  to  Chicago  was  in  1822,  at  which  time 
he  performed  the  first  baptism. 

The  Baptists  were  the  next  religious  organization 
to  come  to  the  city.  In  1825  the  Rev.  Isaac  McCoy, 
a  Baptist  preacher,  came  to  Chicago  from  his  station  in 
Michigan  and  preached  the  first  sermon  in  the  English 
tongue.  The  next  year  the  pioneer  Methodist  preacher 
of  Chicago  appeared  in  the  person  of  the  Rev.  Jesse 
Walker,  who  at  the  time  was  in  charge  of  the  Fox 
River  Mission. 

It  was  not  until  five  years  later  that  Chicago  was 
formally  recognized  as  a  field  for  religious  work.  Dur- 
ing the  year  the  Illinois  Methodist  conference  estab- 
lished the  "Chicago  Mission  district,"  and  began  the 
holding  of  a  regular  weekly  prayer  meeting.  This  was 
followed  by  the  establishing  of  a  Sunday-school  the  fol- 
lowing year.  It  was  the  Catholic  church,  however,  that 


planted  the  first  church  in  Chicago.  St.  Mary's  parish 
was  started  in  May,  1833,  and  the  first  church  built 
at  what  is  now  the  southwest  corner  of  Madison  street 
and  Wabash  avenue.  The  next  month  the  First  Pres- 
byterian church  was  established,  followed  by  the  First 
Baptist  in  October  of  the  same  year.  The  pioneer 
leaders  of  these  religious  flocks  were  Father  John  Mary 
Irenseus  St.  Cyr,  the  Rev.  Jeremiah  Porter  and  the 
Rev.  Allen  B.  Freeman.  From  this  small  beginning 
the  great  religious  strength  of  Chicago  has  grown.  The 
next  year,  in  1834,  the  First  Methodist  church  was 
established  and  the  first  resident  preacher  installed. 

Other  denominations  were  soon  attracted  to  the 
growing  young  village  at  the  lower  end  of  Lake  Michi- 
gan. In  1836  the  Episcopalians,  Universalists  and  Uni- 
tarians each  established  a  church  and  installed  resident 
clergymen.  St.  James  was  the  pioneer  Protestant  Epis- 
copal parish.  This  goodly  start  sufficed  for  the  next 
nine  years  and  it  was  not  until  1845  that  other  congre- 
gations were  formed.  In  that  year  the  few  Jews  living 
here  organized  a  religious  society.  The  German 
Lutherans  established  a  church  the  same  year  and 
two  years  later  the  Norwegian  Evangelical  Lutheran 
church  was  founded.  In  1849  the  Swedenborgians  built 
their  first  house  of  worship  and  the  Christian  church 
followed  during  the  next  year. 

These  different  denominations  fully  met  the  religious 
requirements  of  early  Chicago.  There  were  many  Con- 
gregationalists  among  the  early  Chicago  settlers,  but 
they  for  many  years  affiliated  themselves  with  the  Pres- 
byterians. It  was  not  until  1851  that  they  established 
an  independent  church  of  their  own  denomination.  The 
First  Presbyterian  church  was  founded  by  a  Congrega- 
tionalist  and  most  of  its  members  were  of  the  same 
faith.  This  Presbyterian  tendency  of  the  Congrega- 
tionalists  continued  until  there  was  a  division  over  the 
anti-slavery  question.  Congregationalism  has  been 
strongest  in  the  New  England  and  northern  states  and 


68 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


69 


they  had  no  churches  south  of  Mason  and  Dixon's 
line  in  the  early  days.  On  the  other  hand  the  Presby- 
terians were  strong  in  the  South.  So  the  advocates 
of  the  anti-slavery  movement  fellowshipped  with  the 
slave  owners  reluctantly  and  as  a  relief  organized  the 
first  church  of  their  own  denomination.  The  movement 
flourished  for  the  next  ten  years  as  did  the  sentiment 
against  the  ownership  of  slaves,  and  since  then  has 
stood,  like  all  other  denominations  upon  its  intrinsic 
merits  as  a  branch  of  the  general  church. 

Such  were  the  diverse  beginnings  of  Chicago  from 
an  ecclesiastical  point  of  view.     It  would  be  impracti- 


cable  within  the  space  of  this  chapter  to  follow,  step 
by  step,  the  church  growth  of  this  city,  but  having 
pointed  out  the  pioneer  stage  of  the  different  denomi- 
nations which  gained  a  foothold  in  the  early  years  of 
Chicago,  it  only  remains  to  give  some  idea  of  the  growth 
to  which  Chicago  has  now  attained  in  its  religious 
development. 

A  stranger  visiting  Chicago  is  likely  to  be  surprised 
at  not  seeing  any  churches  in  the  central,  or  down-town, 
portions  of  the  city.  In  the  earlier  days  of  Chicago 
churches  in  the  business  district  were  comparatively 
numerous.  As  the  city  grew,  some  of  these  were 
removed  up-town,  the  better  to  accommodate  the  peo- 
ple. In  the  great  fire  of  1871  all  that  were  left  were 
swept  away.  The  scattered,  and  for  the  time  impover- 
ished, members  found  it  necessary  to  rebuild  elsewhere 
nearer  their  own  new  homes.  Now,  between  the  lake 
on  the  east  and  Halsted  street  on  the  west,  and  between 
Chicago  avenue  on  the  north  and  Twelfth  street  on  the 
south,  there  are  scarcely  a  dozen  churches  of  all  denomi- 
nations. 

The  number  of  churches  and  missions  owned  by 
the  various  denominations  and  sects  is  constantly  grow- 
ing. At  the  beginning  of  1905  their  strength  was  as 
follows : 


Denomination. 

Churches. 

Missions. 

Estimated 
Membership. 

10 

525 

72 

14 

22,000 

Christian  

22 

8 

2,8oo 

81 

14 

2I.OOO 

Christian  Catholic   

9 

450 

6 

1,500 

4 

2OO 

Cumberland  Presbyterian  

5 

900 

i 

I 

75 

48 

7 

10,500 

8 

2,500 

I 

900 

13 

9,200 

119 

23 

45,000 

27 

1,500 

6 

i 

1,200 

7 

900 

Greek                

2 

400 

Holland  Christian  Reformed   

5 

500 

9 

2,200 

37 

7,500 

147 

2 

40,000 

Methodist  Protes'ant  

i 

IOO 

5 

525 

52 

12 

1,500 

15 

I 

2,300 

i 

150 

Catholic        

277 

49 

1,200,000 

Independent  Polish  Catholic  

6 

2,500 

24 

5,000 

5 

1,000 

United  Presbyterian      

7 

1,000 

4 

500 

12 

I,  500 

9 

8 

2.OOO 

BEDFORD    BUILDING. 


The  number  of  churches  and  missions  by  no  means 
represents  the  activities  of  the  various  religious  socie- 
ties. Schools,  convents,  hospitals  and  other  institu- 


TO 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


tions  are  included  in  the  good  work  that  is  being  done 
and  is  constantly  on  the  increase. 

Every  ordinarily  live  and  enterprising  church  has, 
besides  its  Sunday-school,  numerous  associated  educa- 
tional agencies.  Moreover,  many  of  the  churches  have 
their  own  parish  schools.  Nearly  all  the  denominations 
have  their  own  theological  seminaries,  and  several  of 
these  are  richly  endowed  and  of  national  importance. 
One  of  these  is  the  Chicago  Theological  Seminary  (Con- 
gregational), on  Ashland  boulevard,  at  Union  Park. 
The  Presbyterians  have  their  McCormick  Theological 
Seminary,  which  the  C.  H.  McCormick  family  founded 
and  have  done  so  much  to  enrich ;  their  Presbyterian 
Hospital  and  the  Lake  Forest  University.  The  latter, 
though  located  a  few  miles  north  of  the  city,  is  in  fact 
a  Chicago  Presbyterian  institution. 

The  Methodists  have  their  great  Northwestern  Uni- 
versity, with  its  Garrett  Biblical  Institute,  at  Evanston. 
The  Baptists  have  their  University  of  Chicago,  which 
already  has  property  and  endowment  of  about 
$10,000,000.  Although  many  of  the  munificent  gifts 
for  its  buildings  and  endowments  have  come  from  mem- 
bers of  other  religious  organizations,  the  majority  of  its 
trustees  must  always  be  members  of  the  Baptist  church. 

It  is  moreover  necessary  in  this  connection  to  make 
mention  of  the  strong  denominational  press  of  the 
several  leading  denominations.  The  Baptist  Standard, 
of  which  Mr.  Edward  Goodman  and  the  Rev.  Dr.  J.  A. 


Smith  were  respectively  publisher  and  editor  for  over 
forty  years,  still  stands  as  one  among  the  best  period- 
icals of  the  denomination.  The  Congregational  organ. 
The  Advance,  which  was  started  in  October,  1867,  and 
has  numbered  among  its  editors  such  men  as  Dr.  W.  W. 
Patton,  Gen.  Charles  H.  Howard  and  Dr.  Simeon  Gil- 
bert, still  keeps  its  lead  as  the  representative  paper  of 
its  denomination.  The  Interior  is  considered  the  lead- 
ing journal  of  the  Presbyterian  denomination  in 
America.  It  was  started  through  the  influence  of  the 
late  Cyrus  H.  McCormick  two  years  after  The  Advance. 
Dr.  \Y '.  C.  Gray  has  been  its  editor  ever  since  1871,  and 
it  may  be  said  of  him  that  he  has  few  superiors  in  the 
line  of  editorial  work  in  this  or  any  other  country.  The 
Northwestern  Christian  Advocate,  as  the  organ  of  the 
Methodist  church,  is  also  among  the  best  publications 
of  its  kind.  Dr.  Arthur  Edwards,  the  editor  for  over 
thirty  years,  has  been  one  of  the  most  able  and  popular 
men  in  the  denomination.  All  these  with  the  Living 
Church  (Episcopal),  the  Catholic  World  and  many  other 
denominational  journals,  very  ably  represent  the 
religious  influences  of  the  city. 

Taken  as  a  whole,  the  churches  of  Chicago  have 
from  the  first  shared  abundantly  in  the  vigilant  and  out- 
pushing  enterprise  characteristic  of  Chicago.  Their 
influence  in  many  ways  has  not  only  penetrated  and 
influenced  the  life  of  the  city,  but  has  gone  out  into 
all  parts  of  the  country  tributary  thereto. 


UNION    PARK. 


CHAPTER    XV. 


CHICAGO    PARKS 


CHICAGO  at  the  beginning  of  her  sec- 
ond century  is  planning  the  greatest 
park  system  in  the  world.  For  its 
,  fulfillment  we  have  the  assurance 
born  of  an  energetic  past  and  an 
awakened  civic  pride  conscious  of  its 
obligation  to  the  future. 

Starting  with  the  present  park 
area  of  3,174  acres,  this  stupendous 
plan  contemplates  the  bringing  of 
more  than  ten  times  that  amount  of 
park  lands  into  a  great  system  of  pleasure 
grounds,  which  will  entirely  girdle  the  Chicago  of  the 
future  and  put  a  playground  almost  at  the  door  of  every 
man,  woman  and  child  of  the  great  metropolis  of  the 
West,  be  they  rich  or  poor,  dweller  of  mansion  or  tene- 
ment. 

The  general  plan  of  Chicago's  great  park  extension 
plan  can  be  divided  into  three  distinct  enterprises: 

First,  the  establishment  of  internal  parks  in  the 
densely  populated  section  within  the  area  bounded  by 
the  present  park  system  and  Lake  Michigan.  This 
enterprise  comprehends  the  erection  of  neighborhood- 
center  buildings  and  the  improvement  of  Grant  Park 
to  five  times  its  present  size.  The  present  large  parks 
and  boulevards  are  considered  sufficient  for  the  terri- 
tory immediately  contiguous  to  them,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  Lincoln  Park,  which  is  to  have  an  extensive 
addition. 

Second,  the  establishment  of  an  outer  belt  of  forest 
and  meadow  tracts  connected  by  parkways,  which 
would  encircle  the  future  city  of  Chicago  after  its 
suburbs  to  the  north,  south  and  west  had  come  into  its 
corporate  boundaries. 

Third,  the  boulevarding  of  the  east  edge  of  the 
city  along  the  lake  shore  for  its  entire  length,  except 
where  parks  and  boulevards  already  exist. 


When  this  system  is  a  reality  Chicago  will  take  its 
place  at  the  head  of  American  cities  in  park  area  and 
applied  facilities  and  for  artistic  attractiveness  rival  the 
beauties  of  Paris. 

The  beginning  of  Chicago's  park  system  was  Dear- 
born Park,  now  the  site  of  the  Public  Library,  created 
in  1839.  As  the  city  grew  for  the  next  twenty  years 
no  systematic  plan  for  parks  was  adopted.  Small  areas 
were  set  aside  and  improved,  among  them  being  Wash- 
ington Square  on  the  North  Side,  Jefferson,  Lhiioii, 
Vernon  and  Wicker  parks  on  the  West  Side,  and  Ellis, 
Douglas  Monument,  Woodland  and  Groveland  parks 
on  the  South  Side.  Of  these  none  but  Union  Park 
comprised  more  than  five  acres.  The  latter  contains 
but  seventeen  acres.  In  addition  to  these,  thirty-four 
other  small  areas,  many  of  them  mere  triangles  at  street 
intersections  were  created  into  parks. 

The  real  beginning  of  Chicago's  great  system  pf 
parks  and  boulevards  was  in  1860,  when  an  agitation 
was  started  urging  the  city  to  devote  a  tract  of  fifty- 
nine  acres  between  Webster  avenue  and  Menominee 
street,  and  Clark  street  and  the  lake  for  park  purposes. 
This  land  had  been  secured  by  the  city  eight  years 
before  on  account  of  emergencies  arising  from  an  epi- 
demic of  cholera.  The  land  was  intended  to  be  used 
as  a  cemetery,  hospital  grounds  and  quarantine  sta- 
tion. The  cost  of  the  fifty-nine  acres  was  $8,851.50. 
The  cemetery  was  used  as  a  place  of  burial  until  1866, 
and  the  hospital  was  not  torn  down  until  1870.  The 
rapid  growth  of  the  North  Side  soon  showed  that  it 
would  be  necessary  to  do  away  with  a  burial  ground 
so  near  to  the  center  of  the  city,  and,  because  of  the 
agitation  of  the  citizens  and  physicians,  the  sale  of  burial 
lots  was  stopped  in  1859.  In  the  following  year  the 
city  council  passed  an  ordinance  reserving  the  north 
section  of  the  cemetery  for  park  purposes.  For  several 
years  little  was  done  toward  laying  out  a  park,  and  it 


71 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


was  left  a  stretch  of  sand  waste,  with  scattering  thickets 
of  scrub  oak  and  willows.  A  few  walks  were  built  and 
it  began  to  be  known  as  "the  park."  Definite  action 
by  the  council  took  place  in  1864,  when  an  ordinance 
was  passed  declaring  that  this  property  should  be  set 
aside  as  a  public  park  to  be  known  as  "Lake  Park." 
The  next  year  the  name  was  changed  to  "Lincoln 
Park,"  and  an  appropriation  of  $10,000  made  for  its 
improvement.  A  landscape  gardener  was  employed 
and  drives  and  walks  were  laid  out  and  trees  planted. 
Less  than  half  the  appropriation  was  used  up  the  first 
year. 

Slow  progress  was  made  until  1869  when  the  citi- 
zens of  the  North  Side  joined  with  the  citizens  of  the 
South  and  West  sides  in  securing  the  needed  legislation 
at  Springfield  for  establishing  park  districts  and  com- 
missions as  separate  taxing  and  governing  bodies. 
These  commissions  proceeded  in  an  orderly,  systematic 
way  to  establish  the  present  magnificent  chain  of  con- 
nected parks,  which  has  placed  Chicago  in  the  front 
rank  of  American  cities  in  park  facilities.  This  chain 
includes  Lincoln  Park  on  the  North  Side.  Humboldt, 
Garfield  and  Douglas  parks  on  the  West  Side  and  Wash- 
ington and  Jackson  parks  on  the  South  Side,  with  their 
connecting  boulevards.  Two  more  parks  were  recently 
added  to  this  chain  along  Western  Avenue  boulevard, 
McKinley  Park  at  Thirty-seventh  street  and  Gage 
Park  at  Fifty-fifth  street. 

The  park  area  after  the  establishment  of  these  parks 
in  1870  was  1,887  acres.  In  the  next  ten  years  it  was 
increased  to  2,000  acres  and  remained  at  that  figure 
until  1900,  when  the  great  movement  for  the  establish- 
ment of  the  most  comprehensive  park  system  in  the 
world  was  started.  As  a  result  in  a  few  years  the  area 
had  grown  to  3,174  acres,  embracing  eighty-four  parks 
and  the  boulevards  connecting  them  are  thirty-four  in 
number  and  fifty  miles  long. 

LINCOLN    PARK. 

Lincoln  Park  as  it  is  to-day  was  made  possible  by 
the  passage  of  the  first  park  act,  February  8,  1869.  This 
act  appointed  E.  B.  McCagg,  John  B.  Turner,  Andrew 
Nelson,  Joseph  Stockton  and  Jacob  Rehm,  commis- 
sioners of  Lincoln  Park.  They  were  to  serve  for  five 
years,  or  until  their  successors  were  selected  by  the 
judge  of  the  Circuit  Court  of  Cook  County.  This  last 
provision  of  the  law  was  subsequently  changed  so  that 
commissioners  are  now  appointed  by  the  governor.  The 
first  board  met  with  many  obstacles.  Law  suits  were 
instituted  against  them  and  they  were  harassed  in  many 
ways.  They  took  in  the  cemetery  grounds  to  the  south 
of  the  original  tract  and  all  the  bodies  buried  there 
were  ordered  removed  and  interred  at  various  other 
cemeteries  in  the  vicinity  of  the  city. 


With  its  connecting  boulevards  Lincoln  Park  now 
embraces  409  acres.  An  increase  of  area  is  to  be  made 
to  the  north  along  the  Lake  Shore  which  will  add 
several  hundred  acres  and  give  it  another  mile  of  shore 
line  in  addition  to  its  present  four  and  a  half  miles  of 
water  front.  One  million  dollars  are  available  for  this 
purpose.  No  other  large  park  in  the  city  is  so  advan- 
tageously situated  and  so  easily  reached.  As  a  result  it 
is  the  most  popular  playground  in  Chicago,  and 
immense  crowds  enjoy  its  beautiful  drives,  walks,  shady 
meadows  and  lawns,  and  picturesque  lagoons.  It  con- 
tains a  magnificent  collection  of  statuary,  the  heroic 
figure  of  the  martyred  president  from  whom  it  received 
its  name,  and  that  of  General  Grant  being  the  most 
striking. 

The  horticultural  features  of  Lincoln  Park  are  espe- 
cially attractive.  The  old  English  garden  is  a  most 
delightful  place  to  loiter  in  on  summer  days,  and  its 
floral  displays  are  unrivalled.  The  propagating  houses 
are  new  and  extensive,  and  its  greenhouses,  ferneries, 
and  palmhouse  can  hardly  be  surpassed  in  this 
country. 

The  pride  and  distinctive  feature  of  Lincoln  Park, 
however,  is  its  "zoo."  In  the  cages  and  enclosures  are 
confined  one  of  the  best  and  most  instructive  collections 
of  animals  in  America.  There  is  a  herd  of  buffaloes 
that  has  steadily  increased  until  it  has  completely  out- 
grown the  five-acre  range  provided  for  it.  All  the  great 
fauna  and  bird  families  of  the  globe  are  represented, 
and  are  the  delight  and  wonder  to  armies  of  boys  and 
girls,  as  well  as  the  adult  population  of  the  entire  city. 

The  Lincoln  Park  board  has  $500,000  available  for 
the  purchase  of  small  parks,  and  negotiations  are  now 
under  way  for  their  purchase.  These  will  be  equipped 
with  neighborhood-center  houses  and  made  as  attract- 
ive and  beautiful  as  the  means  at  hand  permits.  Unlike 
the  other  sections  of  the  city,  the  North  Side  has  its 
great  park  so  located  that  it  is  accessible  to  the  most 
crowded  part  of  its  territory,  and  its  lake  shore  is  not 
cut  off  as  it  is  on  the  South  Side  by  the  Illinois  Central 
tracks. 

THE   SOUTH   PARKS. 

The  act  for  the  appointing  of  the  South  Park  com- 
missioners was  passed  by  the  legislature  in  February, 
1869,  and  on  the  23d  of  the  same  month  Governor 
Palmer  named  John  M.  Wilson,  Chauncey  Bowen, 
George  W.  Gage,  L.  B.  Sidway  and  Paul  Cornell,  to 
take  charge  of  carrying  out  the  provisions  of  the  law. 
They  had  large  ideas  as  to  what  the  parks  of  the  South 
Side  should  be,  and  the  magnificent  stretches  of  Wash- 
ington and  Jackson  parks  with  their  connecting  boule- 
vard bear  evidence  of  their  foresight.  An  issue  of 
$2,000,000  bonds  was  floated  and  with  the  proceeds 
about  1.500  acres  of  land  were  purchased. 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


The  first  work  of  improvement  was  begun,  on  what 
is  now  Washington  Park.  Landscape  architects  were 
employed  and  plans  for  laying  out  the  park  submitted. 
During  the  next  two  years  great  progress  was  made 
until  the  great  fire  in  1871  caused  a  suspension  of  the 
work  for  about  a  year.  In  1872,  however,  the  public 
spirit  of  the  South  Side  was  aroused  and  a  public  move- 
ment for  the  improvement  of  the  parks  was  begun.  The 
commissioners  were  short  of  funds,  and  under  the 
existing  conditions  hesitated  about  offering  another 
bond  issue.  They  called  upon  the  citizens  for  assist- 
ance and  the  response  was  enthusiastic.  Contributions 


were  worked  there  in  the  course  of  the  next  year  will 
never  be  forgotten,  though  the  White  City  has  van- 
ished, and  all  the  magnificent  structures  except  the 
crumbling  art  palace,  now  occupied  as  a  temporary 
home  by  the  Field  Columbian  Museum,  have  vanished. 
This  structure  and  the  German  building  were  the  only 
reminders  of  the  World's  Fair  left  in  two  years,  and 
the  park  has  been  fully  restored. 

No  park  in  Chicago  has  such  magnificent  vistas  as 
Jackson  Park.  Its  driveways  are  laid  out  on  magnifi- 
cent lines,  and  its  stretches  of  meadow  and  lawns  are 
highly  artistic  and  restful.  Against  it  cannot  be  brought 


GARFIELD  PARK. 


were  also  solicited  abroad,  and  plants  and  seeds  in 
abundance  came  from  the  botanical  gardens  of  Europe 
and  Asia.  Greenhouses  were  erected  and  the  grounds 
plowed  and  fertilized.  Lakes  and  lagoons  were  exca- 
vated, and  before  the  close  of  the  '705  1,057  acres  had 
been  improved  in  Washington  and  Jackson  parks.  By 
1884  all  the  floating  debts  of  the  parks  had  been  paid, 
the  special  assessments  for  park  purposes  on  the  South 
Side,  up  to  that  time,  amounting  to  $4,709,632. 

Jackson  Park  will  always  be  remembered  as  the  site 
of  the  Columbian  Exposition.  For  this  purpose  the 
commissioners  turned  over  666  acres,  including  the 
stretch  along  the  Midway  Plaisance.  The  wonders  that 


the  criticism,  that  has  been  made  against  some  of  the 
other  parks  of  Chicago,  that  it  is  overdeveloped.  With 
a  magnificent  water  front,  its  beauty  is  further  enhanced 
by  an  extensive  system  of  lagoons  in  the  center  of  which 
is  the  "Wooded  Island,"  where  are  still  the  quaint  tea 
houses  of  the  Japanese  exhibit  at  the  World's  Fair.  Its 
rose  garden  is  a  spot  of  surpassing  beauty  and  interest. 
It  has  excellent  golf  links  and  many  tennis  courts.  The 
total  area  of  these  parks  and  their  boulevards  is  1,500 
acres. 

Grant  Park  on  the  Lake  Front  is  being  enlarged  to 
five  times  its  present  size,  and  will  become  the  site  of  the 
Field  Columbian  Museum  and  the  Crerar  Librarv. 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


CROQUET  GROUNDS— GARFIELD  PARK. 


For  this  and  other  improvements  recent  enactments 
by  the  legislature  make  $2,000.000  available  to  the 
South  Park  board. 

The  South  Park  commissioners  were  the  first  to 
act  under  the  statute  of  1903,  which  gave  them  the 
authority  to  purchase  sites  for  small  internal  parks,  in 
the  crowded  residence  districts.  In  many  of  the  quarters 
a  blade  of  green  grass  was  a  novelty.  With  the  $1,000,- 
ooo  immediately  available  they  purchased  fourteen 
parks,  located  as  follows:  Bessemer  Park,  Eighty- 
seventh  and  Lake  Shore  tracks  in  South  Chicago ; 
Cornell  Park,  Fifty-first,  Lincoln,  Wood  and  Fiftieth 
streets;  Davis  Square,  Hermitage,  Marshfield,  Forty- 
fourth  and  Forty-fifth  streets ;  Hamilton  Park  in  Engle- 
wood,  Seventy-second  and  the  Rock  Island  tracks ; 
Hardin  Square,  Twenty-fifth  and  Wentworth  avenue; 
Palmer  Park,  One  hundred  and  eleventh  street  and 
Indiana  avenue ;  Russell  Square,  Eighty-third  and 
Houston  streets;  Mark  White  Square,  Twenty-ninth 
and  Halsted  streets;  Armour  Square,  Thirtieth  and 
Shields  avenue;  Marquette  Park,  Seventy-first  and  Cal- 
ifornia avenue;  Ogden  Park,  Sixty-seventh  and  Centre 
avenue;  Sherman  Park,  Garfield  boulevard  and  Centre 
avenue ;  Calumet  Park,  Ninety-fifth  street  and  the  lake 
in  South  Chicago,  and  an  unnamed  park  at  Forty- 
sixth  and  Stewart  avenue. 

The  commission  had  started  out  to  provide  simple 
parks,  but  the  conditions  showed  that  such  places  to  be 


serviceable  to  the  city  where  seventy  per  cent  of  the 
people  live  in  contracted  quarters,  must  be  more  than 
breathing  places  with  flowers,  grass,  trees  and  perhaps 
a  pond  and  fountain.  So  its  was  decided  to  equip  them 
with  gymnasia,  libraries,  baths,  refectories,  club  rooms 
and  halls  for  meetings  and  theatricals,  making  them  a 
rallying  place  and  center  of  interest  and  inspiration  for 
the  betterment  of  the  condition  of  the  people  of  the  dis- 
trict. Following  out  this  idea  their  improvement  was 
begun.  Each  park  is  being  equipped  with  a  field  house 
or  neighborhood-center  building.  This  contains  a 
gymnasium  for  women  and  girls,  provided  with  appara- 
tus, shower  bath,  plunge  bath  and  lockers.  A  similar 
gymnasium  is  provided  for  men  and  boys.  At  the 
refectories  wholesome  foods  are  sold  at  first  cost.  Club 
rooms,  where  meetings  of  athletic  clubs,  sewing  guilds 
and  other  organizations  are  held,  and  an  assembly  hall 
are  also  provided  in  each  field  house.  These  vary  in 
size,  in  accordance  with  the  neighborhood  served,  from 
a  seating  capacity  of  1,000  to  3,000. 

These  field  houses  are  of  artistic  design  and  con- 
structed mainly  of  cement  and  concrete. 

THE   WEST   PARKS. 

The  Wrest  Park  system  had  its  real  beginning  by  the 
enactment  of  the  legislature  which  established  the  parks 
of  the  two  other  great  divisions  of  the  city.  The  first 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


75 


board  appointed  in  February,  1869,  -was  made  up  as 
follows :  Charles  C.  P.  Hoklen,  Henry  Greenebaum, 
George  W.  Stanford,  Eben  F.  Runyan,  Isaac  R.  Hitt. 
Clarke  Lipe  and  David  Cole.  The  new  board  was 
authorized  to  expend  $400.000  for  the  purchase  of  land 
for  a  boulevard  and  park  sites  in  the  districts  in  which 
are  now  located  Garfield,  Douglas  and  Humboldt  parks 
and  their  connecting  boulevards. 

The  great  fire  followed  by  the  panic  of  1873  were 
hardships  the  first  board  had  to  contend  with,  but  they 
were  all  overcome  successfully.  The  work  progressed 
favorably  until  1877  when  a  scandal,  growing  out  of 
charges  of  mismanagement,  brought  about  a  reorgan- 
ization of  the  commission.  Again  in  1896  the  West 
Park  system  received  a  hard  blow  by  the  defalcation 
of  its  treasurer,  which  left  it  clipped  financially.  This 
was  met  by  remedial  legislation  at  Springfield,  and  under 
new  management  the  parks  have  made  greater  progress 
than  ever  before.  The  park  board  at  this  time  also 
changed  its  attitude  towards  the  city  streets  adjoining 
or  running  through  park  property  by  deciding  to 
co-operate  with  the  property  owners  in  improving  these 
thoroughfares,  and  not  saddling  the  entire  Cost  on  the 
abutting  property  owners.  This  has  resulted  in  greatly 
improving  these  thoroughfares,  and  has  attracted  to 
them  many  handsome  private  residences,  which  had 


been  kept  away  because  of  the  unfavorable  conditions 
governing  their  improvement. 

Garfield  Park,  the  most  highly  improved  of  the 
larger  parks,  covers  188  acres,  lying  four  miles  directly 
west  of  the  city  hall.  It  was  formerly  known  as  Central 
Park,  the  name  being  changed  in  memory  of  President 
Garfield.  Madison  and  Lake  streets  divide  it  into  three 
parts,  each  of  which  has  been  distinctively  developed. 
That  portion  north  of  Lake  street  is  sparsely  wooded 
with  rolling,  winding  roadways  and  shallow  brooks,  in 
close  imitation  of  New  England  farm  lands.  The  area 
south  of  Madison  street  has  been  given  over  to  an 
elaborate  system  of  drives  and  promenades,  twining 
about  a  massive  marble  band-stand,  and  splendidly 
equipped  cycling  and  trotting  courses.  The  central  por- 
tion is  ornately  laid  out,  yet  so  closely  has  nature  been 
followed  that  it  is  difficut  for  the  visitor  to  detect  in  the 
winding  lake,  the  sloping  lawns  and  nodding  trees  any 
trace  of  the  handiwork  of  those  who  have  built  a  beau- 
tiful rural  scene  upon  what  was  a  stretch  of  level  prairie. 

To  the  north  of  Garfield  Park  is  Humboldt,  and  to 
the  south  Douglas  Park,  the  three  connected  by  the 
boulevard  planned  in  1869.  Humboldt  is  the  largest 
of  the  West  Side  parks,  and  contains  206  acres,  while 
Douglas  contains  a  few  acres  less  than  Garfield. 

Humboldt  Park  has  a  fine  lake  covering  twenty- 
three  acres,  a  new  boathouse  and  its  beauty  is  greatly 


VIEW— WEST  CHICAGO  PARK. 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


enhanced  by  lily  ponds,  magnificent  driveways  and 
walks.  It  has  a  thoroughly  equipped  hothouse  and  in 
connection  with  this  is  an  extensive  nursery  containing 
thousands  of  trees  and  shrubs,  embracing  no  less  than 
1,200  distinct  varieties.  It  is  named  after  the  great 
German  naturalist,  Alexander  von  Humboldt,  and  is 
bounded  by  Augusta  street,  Grand,  Kedzie,  California 
and  North  avenues. 

Douglas  Park  is  named  after  Lincoln's  great  adver- 
sary. It  is  divided  by  Ogclen  avenue,  and  much  of  the 
section  lying  to  the  south  has  been  only  reclaimed  from 
its  natural  state  during  the  past  five  or  six  years.  By 


Avenue  boulevard  have  recently  been  added  to  the 
magnificent  chain  of  West  Side  parks,  and  are  being 
rapidly  improved.  In  addition  to  this  chain  of  greater 
park  areas  there  are  six  smaller  breathing  spots,  which 
have  been  turned  over  from  time  to  time  to  the  West 
Park  commissioners.  These  are  Union,  Jefferson, 
Vernon,  Wicker,  Campbell  and  Shedd's  parks.  Twelve 
boulevards  are  now  included  in  the  West  Park  system. 
They  are  Humboldt,  Central,  Douglas.  Southwest, 
Washington,  Jackson,  Ashland,  Twelfth  street,  Ogden, 
Central  Park,  Homan  and  Oakley.  All  the  boulevards, 
with  the  exception  of  Southwest  are  lighted  with  elec- 


co-operating  with  the  drainage  board  the  park  commis- 
sioners secured  many  improvements  at  a  low  cost.  An 
immense  quantity  of  dirt  needed  for  filling  in  the  park 
and  the  Southwest  boulevard  was  secured  from  the 
canal  commissioners,  and  they  were  in  turn  granted 
concessions  in  the  construction  of  the  bridge  over  the 
canal  at  the  boulevard  crossing.  In  this  way  the  park 
was  improved  in  less  than  a  year  to  an  extent  that  would 
have  taken  a  decade  to  accomplish  under  ordinary  con- 
ditions. The  lake  at  Douglas  Park  is  over  twenty-six 
acres  in  extent,  and  is  the  largest  on  the  West  Side. 
Lily  ponds,  bridges,  conservatories  and  other  improve- 
ments have  made  Douglas  Park  one  of  the  most  attract- 
ive pleasure  grounds  in  the  city. 

McKinley  Park  and  Gage  Park,  the  one  at  Thirty- 
seventh  and  the  other  at  Fifty-fifth  street  and  Western 


tricity,  which  is  furnished  by  the  lighting  plant  of  the 
West  Park  system. 

The  West  Park  board  has  done  nothing  towards 
establishing  small  neighborhood  parks  as  yet.  It  has 
$1,000,000  available  for  this  purpose,  but  is  waiting 
for  certain  questions  as  to  the  legality  of  the  bond  issue 
to  be  settled  before  issuing  the  securities. 

THE   MUNICIPAL   PLAYGROUNDS. 

The  beginning  of  the  present  movement  in  Chicago 
to  enlarge  its  park  facilities  first  took  form  in  1900,  when 
the  city  council  appointed  a  commission  known  as  the 
Special  Park  commission,  to  investigate  and  report  on 
the  conditions  in  the  congested  districts  of  the  city,  as 
to  what  could  be  done  to  provide  a  remedy.  In  the  few 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


years  of  its  existence  this  commission  has  done  much 
practical  work  in  establishing  playgrounds  in  addition 
to  bringing  prominently  to  the  attention  of  the  public, 
the  need  of  Chicago  at  once  engaging  in  an  extensive 
scheme  to  enlarge  its  park  area  on  a  plan  consistent 
with  its  present  size,  and  with  a  view  to  providing 
facilities  for  its  great  future  growth.  In  this  work  the 
Special  Park  commission  has  performed  a  service  of 
incalculable  value.  The  nine  municipal  playgrounds 
established  and  maintained  by  the  city  are  located  as 
follows : 

Webster  ground,  Thirty-third  street  and  Wentworth 
avenue ;  Moseley  ground,  Twenty-fourth  street  and 
Wabash  avenue;  Holden  ground,  Bonfield  and  Thirty- 
first  street;  McLaren  ground,  West  Polk  street  near 
Laflin  street ;  Jones  ground,  Plymouth  place,  south  of 
Harrison  street ;  Orleans  ground,  Orleans  street  and 
Institute  place;  Northwestern  Elevated  Railway 
ground,  Larrabee  and  Alaska  streets;  Adams  ground, 
Seminary  avenue  near  Center  street;  Lincoln  ground, 
West  Chicago  avenue  near  Robey  street.  Some  of 
these  grounds  are  owned  by  the  city,  while  others  are 
donated  for  this  use  by  individuals.  The  city  spends 
annually  $20,000  a  year  to  maintain  them.  They  are 
equipped  with  swings  and  other  outdoor  apparatus  for 
gymnastic  exercises,  and  are  in  charge  of  a  competent 
athletic  director,  assisted  by  a  policeman,  and  in  the 
summer  by  a  trained  kindergartner.  A  superintendent, 
who  donates  his  services  to  the  cause  has  a  general 
direction  of  the  playgrounds.  The  children  of  the 
neighborhoods  in  which  these  playgrounds  are  located 
are  greatly  benefited  and  kept  from  the  streets.  As  a 
practical  work  in  improving  the  citizenship  of  the  com- 
ing generation  no  work  undertaken  by  a  municipality 
is  productive  of  greater  results  than  this.  It  offers  a 
field  for  public  spirited  citizens  of  means  to  do  a  lasting 
good  by  donating  grounds  for  these  bright  spots  in  the 
lives  of  the  children  of  the  tenements. 

CHICAGO'S  GREAT  PARKS  OF  THE  FUTURE. 

Thirty-seven  thousand  acres  of  parks  is  the  dream 
of  Chicago's  greatness  for  the  future.  The  Metropolitan 
Park  report  submitted  by  the  Special  Park  commission 
outlines  this  stupendous  undertaking.  Henry  G.  Fore- 
man, former  president  of  the  South  Park  commissioners 
and  of  the  Outer  Belt  Park  commission  thus  takes  a 
look  into  the  future:  "Grant  Park  is  the  axis  of  the 
inner  and  outer  belts  of  parks  and  boulevards.  In  it  are 
the  buildings  of  the  Art  Institute,  Crerar  Library,  and 
Field  Columbian  Museum.  From  Grant  Park  as  the  hub, 
the  system  expands  in  the  form  of  half  a  wheel.  The 
diagonal  city  streets  are  the  spokes;  the  inner  belt  of 
parks  and  boulevards  is  the  support  of  the  spokes;  the 


outer  belt  of  preserves  and  parkways  is  the  tire ;  and  the 
inner  and  outer  systems  are  merged  into  the  broad 
shore  boulevard.  All  parts  of  the  great  recreation  area 
are  accessible  quickly  by  transportation  lines  at  low 
fares.  When  this  system  is  a  reality,  Chicago  will  take 
its  place  at  the  head  of  American  cities  in  park  area  and 
applied  facilities.  It  will  then  be  the  Paris  of  America 
for  artistic  attractiveness." 

The  sites  for  this  outer  park  belt  as  outlined  by  the 
report  of  the  special  commission  follow : 

i. — A  three-eighths  mile  strip  along  the  north  line 
of  Cook  County  from  Lake  Michigan  to  the  Skokee, 
an  ancient  back  bay  now  a  marsh  in  springtime  and  prai- 
rie in  summer,  thence  south  and  west  embracing  all  of 
the  Skokee  within  Cook  County  for  a  distance  of  about 
sixteen  miles,  terminating  in  the  Peterson  woods  at 
Bowmanville  and  covering  an  area  of  8,320  acres. 

2. — A  strip  along  the  Evanston  drainage  canal 
through  the  northeast  section  of  the  city  to  the  lake. 
This  strip  might  be  widened  in  certain  places  to  make 
beautiful  residence  parks  with  lagoons  in  the  center. 

3. — By  country  drive  along  the  north  county  line 
from  the  Skokee  to  the  Desplaines  river;  thence  south 
through  Wheeling,  Desplaines,  Franklin  Park,  River 
Forest  and  Riverside  to  the  Drainage  Canal,  a  distance 
of  twenty-five  miles,  covering  an  area  of  8,800  acres. 

4. — A  strip  running  west  along  Salt  Creek  from 
Riverside  to  Western  Springs,  thence  south  along  Flag 
Creek,  or  the  high  ground  one  mile  east,  to  Willow 
Springs. 

5. — The  highlands  and  forest  at  Mt.  Forest  and 
Willow  Springs,  the  north  half  mile  of  the  hills  of  Palos, 
and  the  intervening  Sag  Valley,  are  recommended  for 
a  great  forest  reserve  and  city  camping  ground.  There 
are  7,360  acres  in  this  tract,  and  it  differs  from  the 
others  in  that  it  is  not  long  and  narrow,  but  is  nearer 
an  oval  in  shape. 

6. — A  parkway  along  the  proposed  South  Chicago 
Drainage  Canal  from  the  main  canal  to  Blue  Island. 
Thence  along  the  Calumet  river  to  Lake  Calumet,  and 
all  around  the  latter,  including  about  1,500  acres  south 
of  the  lake ;  making  a  park  of  nearly  3,000  acres  of  land 
and  as  much  more  of  water  in  the  midst  of  one  of  the 
greatest  manufacturing  centers  in  the  world. 

7. — The  Hyde  Park  Reefs  in  the  lake  form  a  menace 
to  navigation  and  it  is  proposed  to  cover  them  with 
spoil  from  the  drainage  canal  banks  or  from  subways, 
so  as  to  make  island  parks.  Similar  treatment  should 
be  given  the  submerged  land  along  the  lake  shore  from 
Jackson  Park  to  Grant  Park.  The  Illinois  Central  can- 
not be  moved,  but  the  shore  can  be  and  thus  restore  it 
and  the  lake  to  the  people  and  preserve  and  embellish 
our  best  known  "natural  feature" — the  lake — for 
posterity. 


CHAPTER   XVI. 


CHICAGO'S    NEWSPAPERS. 


HE  first  newspaper  printed  in  Chi- 
cago bears  the  date  of  Tuesday, 
November  26,  1833.  It  was  called 
the  Chicago  Democrat  and  had  for 
its  motto  Franklin's  splendid  apho- 
rism, "Where  Liberty  Dwells, 
There  Is  My  Country."  The  pio- 
neer journalist  of  the  city  was  John 
Calhoun,  who  came  west  for  the 
purpose  of  starting  a  paper  in  this 
village.  He  was  a  sturdy  admirer  of  Andrew  Jackson. 
Having  the  field  all  to  himself,  his  paper  was  the 
official  organ  of  the  town.  His  monopoly  was  not 
long  enjoyed.  In  the  summer  of  1835  a  Whig 
paper,  the  American,  was  established  by  F.  O.  Davis. 
Neither  of  these  newspapers'  founders  had  any  very 
considerable  career  in  the  profession.  The  first  citizen  of 
Chicago  to  make  himself  a  power  in  journalism  was 
John  Wentworth,  one  of  the  most  unique  characters  in 
the  early  history  of  the  city.  He  came  here  fresh  from 
Dartmouth  College,  and  soon  bought  out  Mr.  Calhoun. 
His  original  intention  was  to  be  a  lawyer,  but  he  found 
journalism  suited  to  his  taste.  He  was  an  ardent  Demo- 
crat, with  an  aptitude  for  politics.  As  a  writer,  he  had 
a  biting  wit,  pungent  personal  paragraphs  being  his 
forte.  For  a  long  time  he  had  associated  with  him 
Joseph  K.  C.  Forrest,  also  a  pungent  writer,  but  a  man 
of  varied  gifts,  writing  fluently  and  often  brilliantly  on 
all  current  topics.  The  Democrat  became  a  morning 
daily  just  before  the  presidential  campaign  of  1840.  It 
continued  in  existence  and  under  Mr.  Wentworth's  con- 
trol until  its  discontinuance  in  1861,  going  out  of  exis- 
tence just  as  the  era  of  newspaper  prosperity  was  about 
to  begin.  The  name  Democrat  was  used  to  the  end,  but 
with  the  organization  of  the  Republican  party  Mr. 
Wentworth  espoused  the  Republican  cause. 


The  American,  and  a  little  later  the  Express,  had 
each  a  short  and  inconsequent  existence,  but  the  Chi- 
cago Daily  Journal,  called  later  the  Evening  Journal, 
which  was  started  April  22,  1844,  still  lives.  It  was 
really,  but  not  nominally,  started  by  Thurlow  Weed 
and  a  small  coterie  of  close  friends  of  William  H.  Seward 
for  the  unavowed  purpose  of  promoting  the  presidential 
ambition  of  that  great  statesman.  Mr.  Richard  L.  Wil- 
son, who  as  a  young  man  was  well  known  to  Mr.  Weed, 
became  its  editor.  He  was  often,  and  deservedly,  called 
the  Prentice  of  the  Northwest.  His  paragraphs  were 
models  of  keen  wit.  Between  Wentworth  and  Wilson 
was  kept  up  a  runnning  fire  of  lampoonry.  There  was 
no  real  malice  in  their  warfare.  Their  sharp  thrusts 
contributed  much  to  the  enjoyment  of  the  community. 
Mr.  Wrilson  died  in  1850,  when  his  brother,  Charles  L. 
Wilson,  who  had  been  associated  with  him  for  several 
years  succeeded  to  the  editorship,  which  he  retained 
until  his  death,  more  than  twenty  years  later.  The 
Journal  remained  true  to  Seward,  even  though  Mr.  Wil- 
son was  a  warm  personal  friend  of  Abraham  Lincoln. 
Mr.  Lincoln's  friendship  for  the  editor  was,  however, 
unshaken.  The  Journal  was  a  very  influential  and  prof- 
itable newspaper  so  long  as  it  remained  Republican  in 
politics.  The  managing  editor  for  many  years,  Andrew 
Shuman,  was  elected  lieutenant-governor  in  1876  in 
recognition  of  the  service  rendered  to  the  party  by  the 
Evening  and  \Veekly  Journal.  The  Journal  continued 
under  the  control  of  the  Wilson  family  until  the  year 
1895,  when  John  R.  Wilson,  a  nephew  of  the  founder  of 
the  paper,  sold  the  controlling  interest  to  James  E. 
Scripps  and  others  of  Detroit.  Mr.  Wilson,  at  the  time 
he  sold,  had  been  in  control  of  the  Journal  for  several 
years  and  had  continued  to  conduct  it  as  a  Republican 
newspaper.  The  new  purchasers,  however,  at  once 
changed  it  into  an  independent  paper  of  a  sensational 
character.  The  change  lost  it  many  of  its  old  subscrib- 


78 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


ers,  but  eventually  largely  increased  its  subscription  list. 
The  management  continued  in  control  of  the  Journal 
with  varying  success,  until  the  summer  of  1904,  when 
its  control  was  purchased  by  John  Eastman,  a  veteran 
Chicago  newspaper  man.  His  long  experience  in  all 
departments  of  active  newspaper  work  in  Chicago  and 
New  York  has  been  of  great  advantage  in  reviving  the 
paper's  business  and  editorial  prestige. 

Numerous  newspapers  of  a  mushroom  growth 
sprang  up  in  the  forties,  some  of  them  dailies,  but 
only  two  gained  a  permanent  foothold,  the  Chicago 
Daily  Tribune  and  the  Staats  Zeitung.  The  first  number 
of  the  Tribune  was  issued  July  10,  1847.  To  Mr.  For- 
rest, so  long  the  able  assistant  of  Mr.  Wentworth, 
belongs  the  honor  of  being  the  most  prominent  of  its 
founders,  but  his  connection  with  it  was  brief.  Many 
changes  were  made  in  a  few  years.  In  1853  Mr.  Joseph 
Medill  came  to  Chicago  from  Cleveland,  and  became 
part  owner  of  the  paper  and  one  of  its  editors.  Soon 
after  Dr.  C.  H.  Ray  and  William  Bross  became  asso- 
ciated with  him,  and  for  some  years  those  three  eminent 
journalists  were  co-editors,  with  neither  paramount  in 
authority.  Dr.  Ray  was  an  accomplished  and  brilliant 
writer,  elegant  in  diction  and  ardent  in  temperament. 
The  great  triumvirate  worked  together  harmoniously, 
albeit  each  man  was  of  pronounced  individuality.  With 
them  was  associated  as  publishers  Mr.  Alfred  Cowles. 
All  four  except  Dr.  Ray,  continued  their  connection 
with  the  paper  until  death,  and  for  nearly  a  quarter  of  a 
century  Mr.  Medill  was  editor-in-chief,  and  enjoyed  the 
distinction  of  being  the  dean  of  Chicago  newspaper 
men.  At  his  death,  early  in  1899,  he  was  succeeded  by 
Robert  W.  Patterson,  long  the  managing  editor  of 
the  paper. 

The  Staats  Zeitung  was  started  in  1848,  and  was  the 
first  Chicago  newspaper  of  importance  printed  in  the 
German  language.  The  first  editor  to  achieve  fame  was 
Captain  George  Schneider,  who  came  to  Chicago  from 
St.  Louis  in  the  summer  of  1851  to  assume  the  editor- 
ship. He  made  the  Staats  Zeitung  a  daily  of  great 
power.  Being  a  strong  advocate  of  freedom  in  all  its 
breadth  of  meaning,  Captain  Schneider  was  one  of  the 
founders  of  the  Republican  party.  During  the  Know- 
Nothing  craze  he  rendered  great  service  to  the  country, 
saving  the  Republican  party  from  alliance  with  it.  He 
retired  from  the  work  on  the  Staats  Zeitung  to  accept 
a  lucrative  position  under  President  Lincoln.  He  was 
succeeded  by  two  strong  men,  A.  C.  Hesing,  as  pub- 
lisher, and  Herman  Raster  as  editor.  With  Mr.  Raster 
to  wield  the  pen  and  Mr.  Hesing  "to  do  politics,"  the 
paper  was  for  about  ten  years  one  of  the  greatest 
powers  in  Republican  politics  in  the  West.  They  broke 
from  the  party  in  1876.  and  afterwards  the  paper  was 
independent  in  politics.  Being  published  in  the  German 
language  it  suffered  from  the  fact  that  American  born 


Germans  naturally  drift  away  from  the  language,  both 
spoken  and  written. 

Washington  Hesing  succeeded  to  the  property  at 
the  death  of  his  father.  He  was  prominent  in  Demo- 
cratic politics,  and  was  postmaster  and  independent 
candidate  for  mayor  before  his  death.  After  his  death 
the  Staats  Zeitung  property  gradually  declined  until  a 
few  years  go  it  was  absorbed  by  the  Freie  Presse. 
While  it  is  published  under  his  own  name  as  the  morning 
edition  of  the  Freie  Presse,  it  has  lost  much  of  its  old 
individuality.  Both  papers  are  under  the  control  of 
Richard  Michaelis,  as  the  head  of  the  Illinois  Publishing 
Company. 

The  next  important  newspaper  of  Chicago  in  chron- 
ological order  was  the  Daily  Times,  founded  in  1854. 
From  the  beginning  it  was  strongly  Democratic  in 
politics.  Four  years  later  another  Democratic  morning 
daily  was  started,  called  the  Herald.  The  Times  was  a 
Douglas  organ,  the  Herald  a  Buchanan  organ.  Both 
ran  until  1860,  when  Cyrus  H.  McCormick,  proprietor 
of  the  Herald,  bought  the  Times  and  merged  them 
under  the  name  of  the  Herald-Times,  the  intention  being 
to  drop  the  latter  name.  The  next  year,  however,  Wil- 
bur F.  Storey  bought  out  McCormick,  and,  not  carry- 
ing out  the  intention  of  the  former  proprietor,  dropped 
the  Herald  and  retained  the  name  of  the  Times.  Under 
the  editorship  and  management  of  Mr.  Storey  the  Chi- 
cago Times  entered  upon  a  great  career  as  a  newspaper. 
Mr.  Storey  was  a  strong  and  daring  character,  and 
devoted  himself  to  building  up  the  Times  with  a  reck- 
less disregard  for  morals  and  religion.  He  had  a  genius 
for  newspaper  work,  and  with  enterprise  unprecedented 
at  that  time  used  the  telegaph  to  collect  news  from 
all  portions  of  the  country,  especially  those  portions 
tributary  to  Chicago.  Sensational  and  salacious  matter 
was  given  special  prominence  and  the  paper  increased 
rapidly  in  circulation  and  held  an  important  place  until 
the  failure  of  Mr.  Storey's  mind  and  his  eventual 
decease.  After  that  it  had  an  uncertain  life,  appearing 
a  great  deal  in  the  courts,  where  various  people  were 
trying  to  get  possession  of  what  remained  of  it.  It  lived 
a  sickly  life,  however,  until  about  the  close  of  1894,  when 
it  suspended  publication  and  became  a  part  of  the  Her- 
ald, under  the  name  of  the  Times-Herald. 

The  Chicago  Daily  Herald  was  started  in  1881  by 
Frank  W.  Palmer  and  some  other  Republican  politi- 
cians, together  with  a  few  aspiring  young  journalists, 
with  James  W.  Scott  as  publisher.  It  had  a  trying  sort 
of  existence  for  a  few  years  until  John  R.  Walsh  joined 
with  Martin  J.  Russell  and  James  W.  Scott,  purchased 
it  and  put  it  on  its  feet.  Mr.  Russell  was  the  editor  and 
Mr.  Scott  the  publisher.  It  proved  a  great  success. 
Typographically  it  was  the  handsomest  paper  printed  in 
Chicago,  if  not  in  the  United  States.  It  grew  rapidly  in 
favor  as  an  independent  Democratic  paper,  and  event- 


80 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


ually  took  position  as  the  leading  organ  of  the  party. 
Late  in  1894,  Mr.  Russell  having  some  time  before 
ceased  his  connection  with  the  paper,  Mr.  Scott  and  a 
syndicate  of  gentlemen  purchased  Mr.  Walsh's  interest, 
at  the  same  time  purchasing  what  remained  of  the  Chi- 
cago Times,  and  consolidated  the  two  papers  as  the 
Times-Herald.  The  new  parties  that  came  into  the  deal 
were  led  to  do  so  by  their  confidence  in  Mr.  Scott's 


ffllS  • 


MARQUETTE   BUILDING. 


ability  as  a  publisher  and  manager.  That  gentleman, 
however,  very  suddenly  died  in  April,  1895,  before  he 
had  secured  any  of  the  fruits  of  his  great  work.  The 
Evening  Post,  an  afternoon  paper  that  had  been  started 
by  the  Herald  and  published  as  an  afternoon  edition, 
was  also  a  part  of  the  Times-Herald  property.  On  the 
death  of  Mr.  Scott  both  papers  were  sold  to  H.  H. 
Kohlsaat,  who  at  once  changed  the  papers  from  Demo- 
cratic organs  to  independent  papers 
with  Republican  leanings.  This  was 
in  1894.  Mr.  Kohlsaat  started  under 
the  most  auspicious  circumstances  to 
manage  these  great  properties,  but 
his  lack  of  training  in  the  newspaper 
business  soon  became  manifest  in  the 
guidance  of  the  Herald  and  Post.  He 
was  compelled  to  relinquish  his  control 
of  the  Post  several  years  ago  and  in 
1903  practically  ceased  to  be  a  factor 
in  the  management  of  the  Times- 
Herald.  A  consolidation  of  the 
Record  and  the  Times-Herald  was 
brought  about  in  the  spring  of  1901 
as  a  means  of  saving  the  Herald  and 
also  conserving  a  large  financial  inter- 
est that  Victor  Lawson,  publisher  of 
the  Record,  had  secured  in  the  Times- 
Herald  property.  Frank  B.  Noyes,  of 
Washington,  later  became  interested 
and  assumed  control  of  the  property, 
Mr.  Kohlsaat  retiring  from  an  active 
participation  in  its  management. 

The  Inter  Ocean  was  the  first 
daily  newspaper  born  in  Chicago  after 
the  great  fire  of  1871.  The  first  num- 
ber was  published  March  25,  1872. 
J.  Young  Scammon  one  of  the  pio- 
neers of  Chicago  was  the  founder. 
As  a  lawyer,  banker  and  philanthro- 
pist he  had  stood  at  the  forefront 
almost  ever  since  Chicago  had  a  name. 
He  had  had  something  to  do  with 
the  founding  of  more  than  one  of  the 
pioneer  papers  of  the  city,  but  the 
Inter  Ocean  was  his  individual  enter- 
prise, at  least  for  the  first  few  years  of 
its  existence.  It  was  radically  Repub- 
lican from  the  beginning.  The  Chi- 
cago Tribune,  which  was  the  leading 
Republican  newspaper  of  the  North- 
west having  bolted  the  nomination  of 
General  Grant  in  1872,  gave  great 
opportunity  for  the  Inter  Ocean  to 
secure  a  strong  hold  on  the  party 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


81 


throughout  the  northwest  country,  and  being  ably 
edited  it  did  much  toward  supplanting  the 
Tribune  in  Republican  households.  In  1875  Mr. 
Scammon  retired  altogether  from  any  connection  with 
The  Inter  Ocean,  and  a  new  company  with  William 
Penn  Nixon  as  editor  and  manager,  took  possession 
of  the  property.  Mr.  Nixon  continued  from  that  time 
as  editor-in-chief  and  general  manager  of  the  paper 
until  1897,  when  a  controlling  interest  was  purchased  by 
Charles  T.  Yerkes.  The  paper  continued,  as  it  had  been 
for  twenty-five  years,  the  ablest  and  most  aggressive 
exponent  of  Republican  principles  west  of  the  Alleghany 
mountains.  After  the  purchase  by  Mr.  Yerkes, 
George  W.  Hinman  of  New  York,  succeeded  Mr.  Nixon 
as  editor-in-chief.  Under  his  editorship  the  paper 
showed  increased  vigor  and  aggressiveness  and  attracted 
wide  attention.  In  January,  1898,  Mr.  Nixon  was 
appointed  collector  of  customs  by  President  McKinley, 
but  continued  as  publisher  of  the  Inter  Ocean  until  1902 
or  1903,  when  the  control  of  the  paper  was  acquired 
by  Mr.  Hinman.  Under  Mr.  Hinman's  personal  con- 
trol the  Inter  Ocean  has  been  a  power  in  the  political 
andXcivic  activities  of  the  city. 

The  weekly  edition  of  the  Inter  Ocean  secured  the 
widest  circulation  of  any  political  and  secular  paper 
published  west  of  the  Allegheny  mountains.  It  is  the 
boast  on  its  publishers  that  it  has  subscribers  in  every 

W 

state  and'territory  of  the  Union  and  many  foreign  coun- 
tries. It  is  especially  valuable  as  an  advocate  of  Repub- 
lican principles,  and  probably  exercises  a  wider  influ- 
ence in  states  composing  the  northern  portions  of  the 
Mississippi  and  Missouri  valleys  than  any  other  half 
dozen  publications.  Its  popularity  as  a  family  paper 
added  greatly  to  its  influence  politically. 

The  first  one-cent  paper  published  in  Chicago  was 
the  Chicago  Daily  News.  The  first  number  was  issued 
on  Christmas  Day,  1875.  At  first  it  was  a  paper  devoted 
almost  entirely  to  local  matters,  being  entirely  outside 
of  the  Associated  Press,  and  being  unable  to  spend  much 
money  in  securing  telegraphic  service.  In  spite  of  all 
this,  as  a  cheap  evening  paper,  it  grew  in  favor  and  early 
fell  into  the  hands  of  Victor  F.  Lawson  and  Melville  E. 
Stone.  These  men  pushed  it  forward  with  great  skill 
and  energy,  and  by  purchasing  the  franchise  of  the  Daily 
Evening  Post,  which  failed  and  was  sold  in  1878,  it 
became  a  member  of  the  Associated  Press.  From  that 
day  its  forward  step  was  rapid  and  until  it  became  the 
greatest  money-making  publication  west  of  New  York. 
On  March  21,  1881,  a  morning  edition  of  the  Daily 
News  was  first  published.  On  March  13,  1893,  the  name 
of  the  morning  edition  was  changed  to  the  Chicago 
Record.  The  Lawson  papers  have  always  been  of  the 
class  called  independent,  and  support  such  policies  and 
men  as  best  please  the  tastes  or  serve  the  interests  of 


their  proprietor.     The   Record  was  consolidated  with 
the  Times-Herald  in  1901. 

When  Mr.  Kohlsaat  purchased  the  Times-Herald 
and  made  it  an  independent  newspaper  it  left  the  Demo- 
cratic party  without  any  newspaper  to  advocate  its 
principles.  To  fill  this  want  Martin  J.  Russell,  former 
editor  of  the  Herald,  and  H.  W.  Seymour,  at  one  time 
managing  editor  of  the  Daily  Times,  with  the  aid  and 
assistance  of  a  prominent  capitalist,  started  the  Chicago 
Chronicle.  From  the  beginning  it  was  ably  edited  and 
grew  in  favor  as  a  straight  Democratic  organ.  It 
declined  to  follow  the  party  in  1896  and  headed  the  bolt 
of  the  Gold  Democrats.  While  continuing  radically 
Democratic,  its  chief  characteristics  are  great  independ- 
ence in  action  and  in  the  advocacy  both  of  men  and 
principles.  John  R.  Walsh  has  been  the  virtual  owner 
of  the  Chronicle  from  the  beginning  and  his  pronounced 
antagonism  to  the  radical  wing  of  the  Democratic  party 
finally  resulted  in  1904  in  a  complete  change  in  the  polit- 
ical policy  of  the  paper,  it  coming  out  as  an  avowed 
Republican  organ. 

W.  R.  Hearst  is  the  last  publisher  who  has  entered 
the  daily  newspaper  field.  In  1900  he  started  the  Chi- 
cago American,  an  afternoon  paper,  along  the  same 
lines  as  his  San  Francisco  and  New  York  publications. 
Highly  sensational  in  tone  and  make-up  his  paper  was 
forced  to  the  front  with  lavish  expenditure  of  money 
and  soon  had  a  large  circulation.  A  morning  edition 
of  the  American  was  started  which  also  achieved  suc- 
cess from  the  beginning.  The  morning  edition  is  called 
The  Examiner.  The  papers  are  exponents  of  the 
radical  wing  of  the  Democratic  party,  of  which  Mr. 
Hearst  is  one  of  the  acknowledged  leaders.  He  has 
used  his  various  newspapers  to  expound  his  own  per- 
sonal views  and  advance  his  own  political  ambitions. 

In  addition  to  the  above  there  are  several  daily  papers 
published  in  foreign  languages.  Among  these  the  most 
important  are  :  The  Freie  Presse,  published  both  morn- 
ing and  evening  in  the  German  language.  Richard 
Michaelis  is  editor  and  proprietor.  It  was  at  one  time 
Republican,  but  later  supported  the  Democratic  party. 
The  Abendpost,  also  German,  is  published  as  an  evening 
paper.  Fritz  Glogaur  is  editor  and  general  manager. 
The  paper  is  conducted  with  considerable  vigor  and 
with  German-Americans  has  considerable  influence. 
The  Skandinaven,  John  Anderson,  editor  and  pro- 
prietor; is  the  most  influential  newspaper  among  Norwe- 
gians and  their  descendants  of  any  publication  in  the 
West  or  Northwest.  It  is  independent  in  its  tenden- 
cies, but  is  generally  with  the  Republican  party.  It 
is  published  daily  and  weekly. 

The  religious  newspapers  of  Chicago  are  probably 
second  to  those  of  no  other  city  of  the  nation.  They  are 
numerous  and  many  of  them  are  prosperous.  Outside 
of  the  daily  papers  there  are  about  600  weekly  papers— 


82 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


political,  religious,  agricultural,  sporting,  mercantile, 
manufacturing,  banking  and  social — published  in  Chi- 
cago. A  number  of  these  are  published  in  foreign  lan- 
guages. All  classes  of  newspapers  are  large  contribu- 
tors to  the  revenues  of  the  postoffice.  The  total  news- 
paper and  periodical  mail  sent  out  from  Chicago  for  the 
fiscal  year  ending  June  30,  1904,  was  61,402,007  pounds, 
for  which  the  amount  of  postage  paid  .was  $614,020. 

Chicago  has  made  a  number  of  attempts  at  high- 
grade  literary  magazines,  but  as  yet  only  one  or  two  of 
them  have  met  with  more  than  ordinary  success.  While 
it  has  proved  a  great  center  for  success  in  daily  and 
weekly  newspapers  of  various  classes,  those  of  an  exclu- 
sively literary  character  have  generally  been  short-lived. 
This  is  probably  owing  to  the  fact  that  literature  is  not 
of  a  local  character  and  the  difference  between  the 
delivery  in  Chicago  of  a  magazine  published  in  New 
York  or  Boston  and  one  published  in  Chicago  .is  so 
small  as  to  give  no  advantage  whatever  to  a  home  pub- 
lication. The  older  publications  of  the  East,  having 
been  long  established,  consequently  have  the  great 
advantage  over  new  publications  in  public  favor. 

THE   INTER   OCEAN. 

The  Inter  Ocean  may  be  said  to  have  been  born 
of  the  great  fire  of  October,  1871.  When  the  first  num- 
ber was  issued,  March  25,  1872,  the  remnants  of  the 
great  fire  were  still  smoking  and  smoldering  and  the 
ashes  floated  everywhere  on  the  breeze.  The  paper 
received,  too,  its  Associated  Press  franchise,  which  gave 
it  actual  life  and  possibility  of  living,  by  purchase  from 
the  old  Republican,  which,  after  a  varying  struggle, 
received  its  death-blow  in  the  great  disaster.  The 
Republican  was  started  in  1865,  and,  notwithstanding 
it  had  two  of  the  greatest  newspaper  editors  of  the 
times  successively  at  its  head,  it  had  a  struggling  and 
unsatisfactory  existence,  which  resulted  in  a  condition 
in  1871  that  only  a  good,  sound  body-blow  was  neces- 
sary to  end  its  troubles. 

After  the  fire  the  stockholders  and  creditors  were 
glad  to  receive  a  paltry  $10,000  for  the  Associated  Press 
franchise,  which  apparently  was  the  only  asset  the  paper 
had  left.  J.  Young  Scammon,  well  known  throughout 
the  state  as  lawyer,  banker  and  capitalist,  purchased 
this  franchise  and  started  The  Inter  Ocean. 

The  Inter  Ocean,  from  the  beginning,  was  radi- 
cally Republican  and  earnestly  American  in  all  things. 
The  Chicago  Tribune,  which  for  years  had  been  the 
leading  Republican  paper  of  Chicago  and  the  North- 
west, in  1872  bolted  the  nomination  of  General  Grant, 
thus  leaving  a  wide  field  open  to  The  Inter  Ocean.  This 
great  advantage  was  seized  upon,  and  before  the  cam- 
paign of  1872  was  over  The  Inter  Ocean  had  largely 
supplanted  the  Tribune  in  Republican  households.  The 


Weekly  Inter  Ocean  gained  an  enormous  circulation, 
especially  throughout  the  Northwest.  It  was  earnest, 
full  of  ideas  and  aggressively  for  Republican  principles, 
which  greatly  pleased  the  sturdy  Republicans  of  the 
country.  In  1873  Frank  W.  Palmer,  then  a  Representa- 
tive in  Congress  from  the  Des  Moines  (Iowa)  district, 
purchased  an  interest  in  the  paper  and  became  the 
editor.  Mr.  Palmer  was  a  popular  gentleman,  with  a 
wide  acquaintance,  and  added  to  the  popularity  of  the 
paper.  The  financial  troubles  of  1873  were  disastrous, 
however,  to  the  fortunes  of  Mr.  Scammon,  and  the 
troubles  of  The  Inter  Ocean  began,  coming  to  a  crisis 
in  the  fall  of  1875,  when  the  old  Inter  Ocean  Company, 
on  account  of  an  accumulation  of  debts,  failed,  and  the 
paper  was  sold  to  a  new  corporation  called  the  Inter 
Ocean  Publishing  Company  and  came  under  the  con- 
trol of  William  Penn  Nixon  and  his  brother,  Dr.  O.  W. 
Nixon.  There  were  three  more  years  of  struggle,  when, 
if  it  had  not  been  for  the  income  of  the  weekly  edition, 
which  then  had  a  circulation  of  150,000  copies,  the 
daily  must  have  failed,  but,  with  the  advent  of  new 
perfecting  presses  and  other  labor-saving  machinery, 
it  was  brought  safely  through  in  good  condition  to 
catch  the  better  times  that  came  in  the  early  eighties. 

In  all  its  troubles  The  Inter  Ocean  never  lost  its 
place  as  the  leading  Republican  paper  of  the  West.  By 
both  leaders  and  the  rank  and  file  of  the  party  it  was 
looked  to  as  a  guide  and  a  mouthpiece.  One  of  the 
most  marked  features  showing  the  influence  of  the 
paper  was  in  the  change  of  sentiment  on  the  question 
of  protection  in  the  Northwest.  The  Chicago  Tribune, 
the  St.  Paul  Pioneer-Press  and  the  St.  Louis  Globe- 
Democrat,  three  leading  papers  of  the  Northwest,  had 
for  years  been  teaching  tariff  reform  and  tariff  for 
revenue  until  almost  the  entire  Republican  press  of  the 
Northwest  was  more  or  less  tainted  with  their  heresies. 
At  the  very  beginning  of  its  existence  The  Inter  Ocean 
combated  these  heresies  and  became  the  untiring  advo- 
cate of  the  protective  policy.  As  a  result,  within  ten 
years,  there  was  a  complete  change  in  the  tone  of  the 
press  of  the  Northwest. 

The  first  office  of  The  Inter  Ocean  was  on  Congress 
street,  between  Wabash  and  Michigan  avenues,  where 
the  Auditorium  now  stands.  In  1873  it  moved  to  Lake 
street,  near  the  corner  of  Clark.  In  1880  it  removed 
from  Lake  street  to  85  Madison  street,  between  State 
and  Dearborn.  From  the  time  of  its  establishment  at 
the  last-mentioned  place  it  became  a  prosperous  institu- 
tion, although  it  still  lacked  the  abundant  capital  to 
push  forward  so  great  an  enterprise. 

On  May,  1890,  The  Inter  Ocean  removed  to  the 
corner  of  Madison  and  Dearborn  streets  and  in  May, 
1900,  to  the  new  building  on  Monroe  street,  specially 
constructed  for  it.  With  the  exception  of  a  period  of 
three  years  in  the  early  nineties,  Mr.  Nixon  was  in 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


83 


absolute  control  of  the  paper  as 
general  manager  and  editor,  from 
1875  to  1897. 

In  May,  1891,  Mr.  Nixon  sold 
a  larg-e  block  of  stock  to  Mr.  H. 
H.  Kohlsaat,  and  the  latter 
became  publisher  of  The  Inter 
Ocean  and  manager  of  its  finances 
and  business.  May  3,  1894,  Mr. 
Nixon  repurchased  the  stock  held 
by  Mr.  Kohlsaat  and  was  in  com- 
plete control  of  the  paper  until 
July,  1897,  when  a  majority  of  the 
stock  was  sold  to  Mr.  Charles  T. 
Yerkes.  The  change  in  owner- 
ship was  announced  November 
1 8,  when  Mr.  George  Wheeler 
Hinman  of  the  New  York  Sim 
became  editor-in-chief  and  mana- 
ger of  the  paper.  Under  the  new 
arrangement  Mr.  Nixon  continued 
as  publisher.  In  announcing  the 
change  in  ownership,  on  Novem- 
ber 21,  1897,  The  Inter  Ocean 
said: 

"The  Inter  Ocean  appears 
to-day  for  the  first  time  under  the 
active  management  of  its  new 
owners,  and  it  will  endeavor  to 
maintain  the  high  standard  long 
adhered  to  in  its  columns. 

"It  will  give  special  attention 
to  literature,  politics,  art,  sciences 
and  the  welfare  of  this  city.      It 
will  oppose     the     Chicago  news- 
paper trust,  whose  evils  it  recog- 
nizes and  whose  abuses    it    has    experienced.      It    will 
advocate  giving  to  all  newspapers  who  desire  it  Asso- 
ciated Press  news  and  any  other  news  which  it  will  be 
desirable  for  the  people  to  have. 

"It  will  take  special  care  that  this  news  shall  be 
truthful ;  that  facts  only  beneficial  to  the  people  shall 
be  printed,  and  it  will  oppose  and  expose  false  and 
sensational  articles,  which  are  used  so  generally  nowa- 
days for  catch-penny  purposes. 

"It  will  combat  falsehood  and  hypocrisy  wherever 
they  are  exposed,  whether  in  a  newspaper,  a  public 
office,  or  a  pulpit.  It  will  critcise  public  officials  fear- 
lessly and  fairly,  but  the  sancity  of  the  home  will  be 
recognized  and  private  character  will  be  respected. 

"It  will  be  loyal  to  the  principles  of  the  Republican 
party  and  will  fight  to  retain  them  intact  against  the 
assaults  of  socialists,  anarchists  and  their  allies  in  the 
Democratic  party.  It  will  defend  at  all  times  the  sys- 


REAPER  BLOCK. 

tern  of  protection  and  the  gold  standard,  the  bulwarks 
of  our  prosperity.  It  will  be  an  unwavering  advocate 
of  a  strong,  though  pacific,  foreign  policy,  and  will 
never  surrender  a  point  of  national  honor. 

"It  will  assist  in  building  up  Chicago  and  in  show- 
ing to  the  world  the  advantages  of  this  coming  metrop- 
olis of  the  continent.  Its  columns  will  not  be  in  the 
service  of  any  man  or  party  who  would  use  them  for 
selfish  ends,  and  its  policy  will  be  straightforward,  inde- 
pendent and  courageous,  without  fear  or  favor." 

Carrying  out  its  own  idea  in  regard  to  the  news 
business,  the  management  of  The  Inter  Ocean  sought 
every  available  source  for  the  collection  of  news.  The 
only  prominent  newspaper  in  the  country  that  was  not 
in  the  power  of  the  Associated  Press  was  the  New  York 
Sun.  The  managers  of  the  Associated  Press  had  tried 
in  every  way  to  induce  the  management  of  the  Sun  to 
join  it.  When,  however,  all  their  importunities  failed, 


SI 


THE    CITY    OP    CHICAGO. 


they  pronounced  the  Sun  "antagonistic"  and  forbade 
any  of  its  members  from  buying  of  or  selling  to  the 
Sun.  The  foreign  news  at  that  period  was  very  import- 
ant. To  supplement  the  Associated  Press  news  the 
management  of  The  Inter  Ocean  made  arrangements 
for  the  purchase  of  the  foreign  news  of  the  Sun.  As 
soon  as  they  learned  of  this  action  there  was  a  great 
hubbub  among  the  officials  and  managers  of  the  Asso- 
ciated Press  and  The  Inter  Ocean  was  warned  to  cease 
having  any  dealings  with  the  Sun  and  to  publish  no 
more  of  that  paper's  foreign  or  domestic  news,  threat- 
ening it  with  deprivation  of  the  Associated  Press 


Anyone  at  all  familiar  with  newspaper  work  will  know 
that  at  that  time  of  night  and  at  that  time  of  week  was 
he  very  worst  period  at  which  such  acion  could  have 
been  taken.  But  for  the  fact  that  several  wires  from  the 
New  York  Sun  office  were  placed  at  the  service  of  the 
paper,  The  Inter  Ocean,  on  Sunday  morning,  must  have 
made  a  poor  showing  to  its  readers.  As  it  was,  how- 
ever, the  absence  of  the  Associated  Press  news  was 
hardly  missed. 

At  that  time  an  Associated  Press  franchise  in  Chi- 
cago was  considered  worth  at  least  $100,000,  and  it  is 
doubtful  if  one  could  have  been  purchased  at  double  that 


DOUGLAS    PARK  GREENHOUSE. 


news  and  expulsion  from  the  association.  To  pre- 
vent this,  The  Inter  Ocean  began  a  suit  to  enjoin  the 
Associated  Press  from  carrying  out  its  intention  to  cut 
off  The  Inter  Ocean's  news  service.  The  case  was  fully 
argued  before  Judge  Waterman  of  the  Circuit  Court. 
While  he  refused  to  grant  the  injunction,  he  pronounced 
the  By-Law  under  which  the  officers  of  the  Associated 
Press  took  this  action  illegal  and  the  contract  based 
upon  it  void.  This  decision  was  rendered  Friday, 
March  4,  and,  though  notice  of  appeal  was  given,  the 
Associated  Press,  without  any  notice  or  warning,  at 
midnight,  Saturday,  March  5,  1898,  suddenly  and  unex- 
pectedly stopped  serving  news  to  The  Inter  Ocean. 


sum.  It  was  thought  by  many,  both  inside  and  outside 
the  Associated  Press,  that  no  newspaper  could  live  with- 
out that  service,  and,  in  fact,  had  not  The  Inter  Ocean 
had  the  money  to  buy  and  the  energy  and  determination 
to  collect  the  news,  the  action  of  the  Associated  Press 
management  would  have  proved  disastrous.  As  it  was, 
in  alliance  with  the  New  York  Sun,  it  built  up  a  news 
service  for  itself  different  from  that  published  by  the 
other  Chicago  newspapers,  and  by  many  of  the  best 
judges  considered  very  superior  to  any  of  them. 

Recurring  to  the  suit,  the  Appellate  Court  affirmed 
the  judgment  of  the  court  below.  The  case  was  then 
taken  to  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  state,  and  after  nearly 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


85 


two  years  from  the  time  of  the  beginning  of  the  first 
suit,  the  judges  of  the  Supreme  Court  sent  down  a 
unanimous  decision,  which  sustained  every  position  of 
The  Inter  Ocean,  declaring  the  By-Law  under  which 
officers  of  the  Associated  Press  acted  illegal  and  the 
contracts  between  the  Associated  Press  and  its  members 
void.  It  further  decided  that  the  Associated  Press  was 
a  common  carrier  of  news  and  must  deliver  the  goods 
without  partiality  to  all  newspapers  that  desired  it  and 
would  pay  for  it.  This  decision  was  like  a  thunderbolt 
in  the  camp  of  the  trust  newspapers,  and  as  it  affected 
nearly  all  the  important  newspapers  of  the  country,  the 
attention  of  the  whole  world  was  called  to  this  triumph 
of  The  Inter  Ocean — a  triumph,  in  fact,  of  a  single 
newspaper  against  an  organization  composed  of  all  the 
other  papers  of  the  country. 

This  decision,  coming  so  closely  on  the  verdict  of 
"Not  guilty"  in  the  case  of  Mr.  Hinman,  editor  of  The 
Inter  Ocean,  who  was  charged  by  Mr.  Kohlsaat,  editor 
of  the  Times-Herald,  with  criminal  libel  on  him 
(Kohlsaat)  gave  a  prestige  to  The  Inter  Ocean  before 
the  people  that  it  had  never  before  enjoyed.  In  that 
case,  like  the  case  of  the  Associated  Press,  all  the  trust 
newspapers  had  combined  to  aid  Mr.  Kohlsaat  in  secur- 
ing the  conviction  of  Mr.  Hinman,  and  his  defeat  was 
a  practical  verdict  against  them.  The  outcome  of  the 
controversy  between  The  Inter  Ocean  and  the  Asso- 
ciated Press  was  the  reorganization  of  the  latter  and  the 
payment  under  decision  of  arbitrators  of  $40,000  to 
The  Inter  Ocean. 

Meantime  The  Inter  Ocean  aggressively  pursued 
the  way  marked  out,  and  added  to  its  fame  as  a  leader 
in  American  thought.  Always  Republican  and  always 
American,  it  led  in  the  movement  for  national  expan- 
sion, and  proved  itself  an  able  and  forceful  defender  of 
the  administration  of  President  McKinley  during  the 
troublesome  times  of  the  Spanish  war  and  the  agita- 
tion over  the  new  questions  resulting  from  that  war. 
Whether  it  was  the  crushing  of  the  rebellion  in  the  Phil- 
ippines, the  acceptance  of  Porto  Rico  at  the  hands  of 
her  people,  the  settlement  of  the  troubles  in  Cuba,  or 
defense  of  the  conduct  of  the  war,  The  Inter  Ocean 
stood  by  the  administration,  fighting  its  battles  in  the 
name  of  the  American  people.  When  a  conspiracy 
was  formed  to  disgrace  Secretary  of  War  Alger  and 
smirch  the  administration  on  account  of  the  conduct 
of  the  war.  The  Inter  Ocean  was  one  of  the  few  metro- 
politan dailies  that  bravely  fought  the  combination  until 
General  Alger  was  vindicated.  When  the  country  was 


shocked — almost  paralyzed — by  the  news  of  the  hor- 
rible crime,  the  sinking  of  the  Maine,  The  Inter  Ocean, 
quick  to  see  the  results  foreshadowed,  said :  "This 
is  the  beginning  of  a  contest,  the  end  of  which  will  be 
the  expulsion  of  Spain  from  the  West  Indies."  Within 
six  months  these  words  were  proved  prophetic. 

When  the  delegates  to  The  Hague  Peace  Confer- 
ence of  1899  were  about  to  vote  on  the  arbitration 
treaty  The  Inter  Ocean  called  attention  to  the  fact  that 
Article  27,  as  submitted,  was  a  surrender  of  the  Monroe 
Doctrine  and  insisted  that  the  American  commissioners 
should  be  instructed  to  demand  such  modification  of 
that  article  as  would  recognize  the  Monroe  Doctrine. 
Not  another  newspaper  in  America  joined  The  Inter 
Ocean  in  this  protest  against  the  abandonment  of  a 
traditional  American  policy,  but  President  McKinley, 
seeing  the  force  of  The  Inter  Ocean's  argument, 
instructed  the  American  delegates  to  insist  upon  the 
incorporation  in  the  treaty  of  a  declaration  which  was 
in  effect  a  recognition  of  the  Monroe  Doctrine.  These 
instructions  were  carried  out  and  the  American  declara- 
tion was  accepted  by  the  conference. 

Under  date  of  January  n,  1902.  the  controlling- 
interest  in  The  Inter  Ocean  was  acquired  by  Mr.  Hin- 
man, who  had  been  for  four  years  its  editor  and  man- 
ager. Under  the  new  ownership  the  policy  announced 
in  1897  was  continued,  the  paper  discussing  fearlessly 
all  the  greater  questions  involved  in  the  advance  of  the 
United  States  to  a  world  power.  It  heartily  supported 
President  Roosevelt  in  his  military,  naval  and  foreign 
policies,  and  as  usual  was  at  the  fore  in  the  presidential 
campaign  of  1904.  In  only  one  case  did  The  Inter 
Ocean  decline  to  support  a  candidate  named  by  a 
Republican  convention,  and  that  was  in  the  case  of 
John  M.  Harlan.  named  for  mayor  in  the  spring  of  1905. 
It  acted  independently  in  the  mayoralty  campaign  on 
the  ground  that  Mr.  Harlan,  having  opposed  every 
Republican  candidate  for  mayor  nominated  in  ten 
years,  and  having  conspired  to  their  defeat  he  could  not 
be  supported  by  Republicans.  Mr.  Harlan  was  defeated. 

In  the  senatorial  campaign  of  1902,  The  Inter 
Ocean  advocated  the  endorsement  of  Albert  J.  Hopkins 
for  United  States  senator  by  the  state  convention  and 
carried  its  point  against  the  opposition  of  all  the  other 
Chicago  newspapers.  Mr.  Hopkins  is  to-day  senator. 

These  are  but  a  few  illustrations  of  the  increasing 
political  influence  of  The  Inter  Ocean.  With  that 
influence,  moreover  came  a  strong  growth  in  The  Inter 
Ocean's  circulation,  particular!}'  in  the  city  of  Chicago, 
where  it  now  is  double  what  it  was  in  January,  1902. 


CHAPTER   XVII. 


CHICAGO'S     CHARITIES. 


CHICAGO'S  charities  are  manifold.  In 
the  rush  for  wealth  and  power  the 
poor,  the  sick  and  the  unfortunate 
have  not  been  neglected.  The  charge 
might  better  be  brought  against  the 
city  and  its  people  that  in  its  liberal- 
ity there  has  been  more  danger  of 
demoralizing  duplication  in  giving, 
than  in  failing  to  give.  The  city's 
record  in  this  regard  is  as  remarkable 
as  any  feature  of  its  wonderful  munic- 
ipal history. 

Nor  should  this  be  wondered  at,  since  the  generous 
mr.hner  in  which  the  world  came  to  the  relief  of  a 
stricken  city  at  the  time  of  the  great  fire,  gave  Chicago 
a  lesson  in  charity  it  will  never  forget.  Previous  to  that 
time  nothing  had  occurred  in  the  city  to  call  out  any- 
thing remarkable  in  the  way  of  giving.  The  prosperity 
was  such,  and  the  freedom  from  any  great  distress  was 
so  manifest,  that  benevolence  flowed  in  narrow  channels 
almost  unobserved. 

The  first  charity  movement  of  importance  was 
started  in  1857  when  the  Chicago  Relief  and  Aid  Society 
was  formed.  Several  other  movements  of  the  same  char- 
acter started  shortly  afterwards,  which  worked  inde- 
pendently of  one  another,  until  in  1867  they  were  all 
combined  under  the  parent  society.  By  this  centraliza- 
tion of  the  work  of  relief  in  the  city  much  good  was 
accomplished,  for  the  Relief  and  Aid  society  was  wholly 
disconnected  from  all  the  churches,  the  friend  of  them 
all,  but  the  auxiliary  of  none.  When  the  heavy  blow  fell 
on  the  city  a  few  years  later  it  was  a  great  thing  for  Chi- 
cago that  this  organization  existed.  The  emergency  of 
1871  found  a  charitable  organization  in  operation  which 
could  not  have  been  better  adapted  to  afford  relief  and 
aid,  had  it  been  formed  with  a  clear  understanding  in 
advance  of  what  was  to  happen  and  what  would  be 


needed.  The  territory  of  the  city  had  been  divided  into 
fourteen  districts,  preparatory  to  the  winter's  work  of 
relief  of  poverty  and  destitution.  This  organization 
with  its  depots  and  equipment  in  the  various  districts 
was  at  once  made  use  of  in  alleviating  the  distress  of  the 
destitute  and  homeless  on  account  of  the  fire.  While 
the  fire  was  still  burning  Mayor  Mason  turned  over  to 
it  all  the  contributions  for  charity  which  began  to  pour 
in  as  soon  as  the  extent  of  the  mighty  conflagration 
became  known.  Leading  citizens  of  executive  ability 
took  matters  in  hand,  and  the  result  was  most  satis- 
factory. There  was  never  any  scandal  or  suspicion  of 
dishonesty,  nor  was  red  tape  allowed  to  hinder  the 
emergency  work.  During  the  first  four  days  after  the 
fire  no  less  than  330  carloads  of  relief  supplies  were 
received  by  rail  from  neighboring  towns.  These  goods 
came  without  waybills,  or  invoices,  the  railroads  making 
no  charge  for  transportation.  The  receiving  directly 
from  the  cars  and  distribution  to  the  people  in  need 
proved  of  the  greatest  benefit  in  minimizing  distress. 

Relief  was  supplemented  in  a  few  weeks  with  aid. 
About  the  first  aid  was  assistance  extended  to  poor 
women  in  buying  sewing  machines  to  replace  those 
which  were  lost  in  the  fire.  From  November  6,  1871,  to 
May  i,  1873,  the  society  disbursed  for  special  relief, 
$281,489.03  ;  for  sewing  machines,  $138,855.26;  for  rent 
paid,  $6,371.80;  for  tools  bought,  $10,742,  a  total  of 
$437,458.09.  The  number  of  persons  who  applied  for 
relief  during  that  time  was  16,299,  and  the  applications 
approved  numbered  9,962.  But  these  figures  give  no 
idea  of  the  grand  total  of  relief  and  aid  actually  afforded. 
Over  20,000  persons  secured  employment  through  the 
agency  of  the  society's  free  employment  bureau.  Hos- 
pitals and  dispensaries  were  enabled  to  provide  for  the 
indigent  sick  who  needed  institutional  relief,  and  many 
thousands  of  patients  were  ministered  to  in  their  homes. 
Twenty-five  charitable  institutions  were  the  recipients 


86 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


87 


of  nearly  half  a  million  dollars.  The  cash  contribu- 
tions received  by  this  society  from  the  American  people 
was  $3,846,250.36;  from  other  countries,  $973,897.80; 
making-  in  all  $4,820,148.16.  The  society  gave  an 
account  of  this  great  stewardship  April  30,  1874,  show- 
ing that  besides  these  receipts  and  $50,000  as  a  special 
fund  from  A.  T.  Stewart,  it  had  received  $126,634.58 
from  the  banks  as  interest  on  de- 
posits. At  the  time  the  account 
was  rendered  the  balance  on  hand 
was  $581,328.66,  the  disburse- 
ments having  been  $4,415,454.08. 
Gradually  the  demands  upon  this 
society  lessened.  When  the  extra- 
ordinary needs  incident  to  the  fire 
were  over  there  was  still  a  great 
work  to  be  done.  That  central  or- 
ganization continues  to  be  a  great 
factor  in  the  charitable  work  of  Chi- 
cago, but  the  mighty  river  of  relief 
and  aid  flows  in  innumerable  chan- 
nels. It  is  impossible  to  enumerate 
them  all,  but  some  idea  of  this  fea- 
ture of  Chicago's  activity  at  the 
present  time  can  be  presented. 

Of  course,  it  is  not  possible  to 
name,  or  even  to  accurately  classify, 
all  the  charities  of  the  city.  To 
meet  the  obivious  necessities  of  the 
more  destitute  and  suffering,  a 
very  great  number  of  institutions, 
associations  and  specific  agencies 
have  been  originated.  With  the 
rapid  growth  of  the  city  existing 
institutions  and  agencies  soon  be- 
come painfully  inadequate.  The 
older  ones  need  enlargement  and 
new  ones  have  to  be  formed.  Mu- 
nificent gifts  for  the  purpose,  more 
than  anybody  knows,  are  con- 
stantly coming  into  these  charitable 
treasuries. 

Chicago's  aid  and  relief  work 
has  been  greatly  systematized  in  re- 
cent years,  a  policy  that  has  its 
advocates  and  also  its  critics.  It 
assures  the  patrons  of  these  organi- 
zations that  their  benefactions  will 
be  put  where  they  will  do  the  most 
good,  and  at  the  same  time  prevent 
a  useless  and  demoralizing  duplica- 
tion. Among  the  charity  organiza- 
tions that  are  doing  the  most  effect- 
ve  work  are  included  the  following : 
Associated  Jewish  Charities  of 


Chicago,  Austro-Hungarian  Benevolent  Association, 
Chicago  Bureau  of  Charities,  Chicago  Bureau  of  Jus- 
tice, Chicago  Medical  Mission  and  Allied  Charities,  Chi- 
cago Relief  and  Aid  Society,  Chicago  Woman's  Aid 
Society,  Hungarian  Charity  Society,  Illinois  Charitable 
Relief  Corps,  Illinois  Children's  Home  and  Aid  Society, 
Societe  Francaise  de  Bienfaisance  de  1'Illinois,  United 


3  11 

3  EE3  3  E33  ] 

E33  3  E31 
3 


133  3  ID] 
i  OBI  i 

IBS]  a 

I  IGl  I 

i  i«  a 
i 
i  HI  i 

i .;,  a  HI  i 


w 


ill 

HEH 

ll 


MONADNOCK    BLOCK. 


88 


THE    CITY    OP    CHICAGO. 


Hebrew  Charities,  Visitation  and  Aid  Society,  Woman's 
Benevolent  Association. 

These  cover  the  field  with  many  others  ably  and 
co-operate  in  such  a  way  that  cases  which  should 
naturally  come  to  them  are  directed  to  their  own  race 
or  people,  though  these  lines  are  not  drawn  except 
where  the  conditions  warrant  it. 

At  the  beginning  of  1905  there  were  in  Chicago 
sixty-one  hospitals,  thirty-five  dispensaries  and  over 
sixty  asylums  and  homes.  This  enumeration  includes 
only  the  larger  institutions,  and  there  are  many  smaller 
enterprises  conducted  to  help  the  needy  and  unfortunate 
that  are  also  doing  efficient  work. 

The  county  authorities  have  an  efficient  organization 
which  embraces  the  County  hospital,  the  Dunning  insti- 
tutions and  the  county  agent's  relief  station  on  the 
West  Side.  Through  these  avenues  much  distress  is 
relieved  and  sick  and  indigent  persons  cared  for.  The 
county  agent  grants  relief  to  those  who  are  actually  in 
want,  provided  that  they  have  been  residents  of  Cook 
county  for  at  least  six  months.  He  also  passes  on  appli- 
cations for  admission  to  the  county  institutions  and  pro- 
vides transportation  to  the  poor  of  other  cities  who  may 
become  stranded  here. 

The  municipal  lodging  house,  designed  to  provide 
shelter  and  food  for  deserving  poor  temporarily  out  of 
employment  was  opened  December  21,  1901.  In  order 
that  this  shall  not  be  an  encouragement  to  tTie  worthless, 
all  the  lodgers,  able  to  work,  are  required  to  give  three 
hours  labor  on  the  streets  in  return  for  lodging  and 
breakfast.  Tramps  and  intoxicated  men  are  not 
admitted.  During  last  year  about  25,000  lodgings  and 
twice  as  many  meals  were  furnished.  The  city  spends 
about  $9,000  a  year  on  this  institution.  In  addition  to 
this  the  city  has  appropriated  $12,000  to  St.  Vincent's 
Asylum  for  orphans,  and  its  emergency  dispensary.  In 
connection  with  the  police  department  an  efficient  am- 
bulance service  is  maintained. 

Much  to  the  credit  of  the  city  is  the  provision  made 
for  caring  for  the  needy,  dependent,  abandoned, 
wronged  and  delinquent  children.  Among  the  children's 
institutions  are  the  Chicago  Foundlings'  home.  Crippled 
Children's  home,  Illinois  Industrial  school,  Chicago 
Orphan  asylum,  St.  Mary's  Home  for  Children, 
St.  Joseph's  Provident  Orphan  asylum,  Hull  House 
Creche,  Epworth  Children's  home,  St.  Charles  Home 
for  Boys,  Newsboys'  home,  Chicago  Home  for  Jewish 
Orphans. 

No  better  move  was  ever  made  for  the  care  of  chil- 
dren than  the  establishment  of  the  juvenile  court  as  a 
branch  of  the  county  courts,  for  the  purpose  of  caring 


for  the  "dependent"  and  "neglected"  children.  Under 
the  act  creating  the  court  a  dependent  and  neglected 
child  means  any  child,  who  for  any  reason,  is  destitute, 
or  homeless,  or  abandoned,  or  dependent  upon  the 
public  for  support,  or  has  not  proper  parental  care  or 
guardians,  or  who  habitually  begs  or  receives  alms,  or 
who  is  found  living  in  any  house  of  ill  fame,  or  with 
vicious  or  disreputable  persons,  or  whose  home  by 
reason  of  neglect,  cruelty  or  depravity  on  the  part  of 
the  parents,  guardians  or  the  other  persons  in  whose 
care  it  may  be,  is  an  unfit  place  for  such  a  child ;  and  any 
child  under  the  age  of  twelve  years  who  is  found  ped- 
dling or  selling  any  article,  or  singing  or  playing  any 
musical  instrument  upon  any  street  or  giving  any  pub- 
lic entertainment. 

Under  the  term  "delinquent"  child  is  included  any 
child  under  the  age  of  sixteen  years  who  violates  any 
law  of  the  state,  or  city  ordinances.  Its  workings  have 
fully  justified  the  hope  its  originators  held  of  saving  the 
young  and  taking  them  in  time  before,  because  of 
vicious  environment,  they  have  developed  into  hardened 
law  breakers. 

In  this  connection  mention  should  also  be  made 
of  the  Humane  Society,  whose  vigilant  ministries  on 
behalf,  not  only  of  suffering  animals,  but  especially  of 
wronged  and  suffering  children,  have  been  eminently 
important  alike  in  preventive  and  corrective  ways. 

So  many  are  the  charities  of  Chicago  that  there  is 
constant  danger  of  demoralizing  duplication.  To  guard 
against  this  a  bureau  of  associated  charities  was  organ- 
ized in  1894.  Its  aim  and  purposes  are  to  promote  such 
co-operation  among  charitable  agencies,  that  each  shall 
be  permitted  to  do  what  it  can  do  best,  and  that  the  field 
of  each  shall  exactly  fit  in  with  the  fields  of  others,  leav- 
ing neither  overlapping  edges  nor  untouched  need.  A 
system  of  friendly  visiting,  through  which  those  who 
desire  to  give  personal  service  are  brought  into  the 
homes  of  the  very  poor,  is  maintained.  The  theory  is 
to  investigate  reports  of  distress  and  secure  relief  for 
each  case  of  need,  from  the  proper  agencies,  the  bureau 
itself  giving  material  relief  only  in  emergencies ;  second, 
to  guarantee  adequate  relief  where  relief  is  needed ; 
third,  to  protect  the  public  from  imposition  and  fraud. 
It  cannot  be  claimed  that  this  lofty  ideal  has  been  satis- 
factorily attained,  but  wholesome  and  encouraging 
progress  is  being  made  in  the  solution  of  what  must  be 
set  down  as  the  supreme  problem  of  municipal  charity, 
how  to  so  administer  it  as  to  afford  the  greatest  imme- 
diate relief  and  permanent  aid  with  the  least  danger 
of  abuse. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


\  r 


CHICAGO'S     RAILROAD     SYSTEMS 


,H1CAGO  is  the  leading  railroad  center 
of  the  world. 

In  tonnage,  mileage,  equipment, 
number  of  trains,  both  passenger  and 
freight,  the  great  carrier  systems  cen- 
tering in  this  city  are  unsurpassed  by 
any  other  group  of  roads.  Chicago's 
railroads  control  directly  over  66,000 
miles  of  track,  or  about  a  third  of  the 
total  mileage  of  the  United  States. 
The  lines  with  which  they  connect  and 
which  are  in  a  great  measure  dependent 
upon  Chicago  for  a  large  share  of  their  tonnage  would 
more  than  double  this,  so  that  it  can  be  said  that  not 
less  than  two-thirds  of  all  the  railroad  mileage  in  the 
country  is  tributary  to  Chicago. 

The  Union  Pacific,  Southern  Pacific,  Southern 
Railway,  Northern  Pacific,  Chesapeake  &  Ohio,  Louis- 
ville &  Nashville  and  the  trunk  lines  from  Buffalo  east, 
though  not  running  into  Chicago,  regard  this  city  as 
the  destination  and  originating  point  of  the  greater 
part  of  their  traffic.  Many  of  them  have  their  general 
traffic  and  operating  departments  located  in  Chicago, 
and  not  a  line  of  any  consequence  in  the  country  but 
maintains  a  commercial  or  general  agency  here. 

The  passenger  and  freight  traffic  centering  here  is 
the  heaviest  in  the  country.  From  the  West  and  North- 
west are  poured  the  immense  resources  which  find  a 
gateway  through  Chicago  to  the  markets  of  the  world. 
So  also  the  great  traveling  public  of  America  must  pass 
through  the  city,  which  was  builded  on  the  ancient 
portage  at  the  southern  end  of  Lake  Michigan.  Some 
idea  of  immensity  of  the  tonnage  handled  by  the  rail- 
roads centering  here — which  amounts  to  over  40  per 
cent  of  the  tonnage  of  the  United  States — can  be 
gained  by  considering  a  few  of  the  items  that  enter  into 
this  great  traffic. 

More  than  16,000.000  barrels  of  flour  are  carried  to 
and  from  Chicago  annually  by  the  railroads.  The  total 
rail  shipments  of  wheat  in  and  out  of  Chicago  last  year 


were  over  36,000.000  bushels,  of  corn  upwards  of  123,- 
000,000  bushels,  of  oats  112,000,000  bushels  and  of  rye 
and  barley  33,000,000  bushels.  Three  and  a  quarter 
million  cattle  are  brought  to  Chicago  annually  by  the 
railroads,  and  four  and  a  half  million  sheep,  and  close 
to  eight  million  hogs.  The  greatest  part  of  these  are 
slaughtered  by  the  great  packing  concerns,  but  close  to 
four  and  a  half  million  are  shipped  out  alive.  The  amount 
of  dressed  beef  brought  in  and  carried  out  by  the  rail- 
roads from  Chicago  last  year  (1904)  was  1,280,000,000 
pounds.  The  shipments  alone  of  hog  products,  exclu- 
sive of  those  brought  here  by  the  railroads  or  carried 
through,  amounted  to  over  a  billion  and  a  half  pounds. 

These  are  a  few  of  the  items  that  go  toward  making 
up  the  tremendous  freight  tonnage  originating  in  Chi- 
cago, and  finding  a  destination  here,  and  which  requires 
no  less  than  an  average  of  663  trains  a  day  to  carry. 
Equally  stupendous  is  the  passenger  traffic  of  the  Chi- 
cago railroads.  Fifty-seven  years  ago,  when  the  first 
engine  with  a  single  car  started  on  the  old  Galena 
division  of  the  North-Western  Railroad,  it  consisted  of 
a  twelve-ton  engine  and  a  twenty-foot  car  for  passengers. 
To-day  the  suburban,  local  and  through  line  passenger 
service  of  Chicago  requires  no  less  than  an  average  of 
1,281  trains  a  day  in  and  out  of  the  city.  These  carry- 
upwards  of  300,000  passengers,  and  the  heaviest  engines 
for  the  fast  runs  weigh  as  high  as  194  tons. 

The  gross  earnings  of  the  railroads  centering  at 
Chicago  rose  to  the  high  figure  of  $660,800,972  in  1903, 
an  increase  of  87  per  cent  in  ten  years,  though  the 
mileage  had  grown  only  26  per  cent.  These  railroads 
employ  in  the  neighborhood  of  three  quarters  of  a  mil- 
lion men.  In  Chicago  and  Illinois  alone  these  roads 
have  upwards  of  86,000  men  on  their  pay-rolls,  and  the 
wages  paid  them  is  close  to  $60,000,000.  The  greater 
share  of  this  vast  amount  is  distributed  in  Chicago  and 
the  immediate  vicinity,  as  the  headquarters  of  many  of 
the  large  systems  are  here,  and  there  are  employed 
armies  of  clerks. 

The  railroads  in  the  Chicago  Terminal  Association 
have  about  700  miles  of  main  tracks  in  the  citv  limits. 


89 


90 


THE   CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 


Switch  tracks  and  auxiliary  tracks  would  bring  this 
mileage  in  Chicago  proper  to  the  neighborhood  of  2,000 
miles.  This  network  of  steel  has  in  it  7,000  switches, 
7,200  frogs  and  2,500  signal  lights. 

No  less  than  1,944  trains  a  day  enter  and  leave  Chi- 
cago. Of  these  1,281  are  passenger  and  663  freight 
trains.  The  development  of  the  suburban  service  has 
been  great  since  the  World's  fair.  Following  is  a  table 
of  the  passenger  trains  running  in  and  out  of  Chicago 
daily,  Sundays  excepted : 


Through. 

"« 

0 

a 

Suburban, 

*rt 
O 

Atchison    Topeka  •%  Santa  Fe   

10 

3 

o 

13 

Baltimore  &  Ohio  

6 

2 

0 

8 

Chicago  &  Alton  

10 

8 

0 

18 

Chicago  &  Kastern  Illinois. 

12 

4 

2 

18 

Chicago  &  Erie  

7 

6 

2 

15 

Chicago  &  North-Western 

64 

208 

316 

Chicago  &  Western  Indiana        

o 

o 

16 

16 

Chicago    Burlington  &  Quincy  

28 

12 

96 

136 

6 

3 

o 

9 

Chicago    Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul         

13 

7° 

30 

113 

Chicago,  Indianapolis  &  Louisville  

13 

o 

o 

13 

Chicago    Rock  Island  &  Pacific 

12 

14 

72 

98 

Chicago  Terminal  Transfer           

O 

o 

8 

8 

C.,  C.,  C.  &  St.  L.  (Big  Four)  

IO 

o 

o 

10' 

Grand  Trunk  

8 

2 

IO 

20 

Illinois  Central        

18 

o 

248 

266 

Lake  Shore  &  Michigan  Southern  

16 

6 

54 

76 

Michigan  Central 

I  s 

6 

o 

21 

New  York,  Chicago  &  St.  Louis    

6 

o 

o 

6 

Niagara  Falls  Short  Line   

6 

2 

o 

8 

Pere  Marquette.  ... 

8 

o 

o 

8 

Pittsburg,  Cincinnati,  Chicago  &  St.  Louis. 

8 

IO 

4 
6 

0 

26 

12 
42 

Wabash               

16 

3 

o 

ig 

Wisconsin  Central      .    ... 

8 

o 

12 

Totals  ...          

_>s<> 

223 

772 

1281 

The  average  number  of  freight  trains  operated  by 
the  Chicago  roads  daily  are  as  follows : 


Freight  Trains. 


Out. 

In. 

Total. 

Atchison,  Topeka  &  Santa  Fe     

6 

6 

12 

Baltimore  &  Ohio  

1  1 

9 

20 

Chicago  &  Alton  „  

10 

13 

23 

Chicago  &  Eastern  Illinois   

15 

15 

30 

Chicago  &*Erie   ... 

IO 

21 

Chicago  &  North-Western  

CO 

4S 

95 

Chicago,  Burlington  &  Quincy  

ig 

2O 

39 

Chicago  Great  Western  .  . 

8 

7 

I  c 

Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St    Paul  

33 

36 

69 

Chicago,  Indianapolis  &  Louisville  

5 

5 

IO 

Chicago,  Rock  Island  &  Pacific.   .  .            ... 

1  1 

ig 

30 

Chicago  Terminal  Transfer  

12 

13 

25 

C.,  C.,  C.  &  St.  L.  (Big  Four)  

2 

2 

Grand  Trunk  

13 

12 

25 

Illinois  Central  

a  I 

3.1 

62 

Lake  Shore  &  Michigan  Southern       

17 

17 

34 

Michigan  Central         ...        

12 

New  York,  Chicago  &  St.  Louis   

12 

12 

24 

Pere  Marquette   

5 

5 

IO 

Pittsburg,  Cincinnati,  Chicago  &  St.  Louis 

ia 

IO 

23 

Pittsburg,  Ft.  Wayne  &  Chicago  

13 

12 

25 

Wabash  

1C 

12 

27 

Wisconsin  Central  

8 

8 

16 

Totals   

332 

331 

663 

The  total  receipts  by  rail  of  flour  and  grain  by  the 
Chicago  roads  for  1904  were  as  follows: 

Flour,  barrels 8,877,105 

Wheat,   bushels 23,954,747 

Corn,   bushels 100,083,923 

Oats,  bushels 72,974,815 

Rye,    bushels 2'379>3°7 

Barley,    bushels 25,316,917 

The  total  shipments  by  rail  of  flour  and  grain  by  the 
Chicago  roads  for  1904  were  as  follows: 

Flour,    barrels 6,564,533 

Wheat,   bushels 12,330,030 

Corn,   bushels 23,386,707 

Oats,  bushels 39,662,834 

Rye,  bushels 1.330,273 

Barley,    bushels 4,718,875 

The  total  receipts  by  rail  of  leading  commodities 
for  the  year  1904  at  Chicago  follow: 

Cattle    3,259,185 

Sheep    4,504,630 

Live  and  dressed  hogs 7,806,565 

Dressed  beef,  pounds 208,204,901 

Lard,    pounds 54,549,592 

Barreled  pork,  barrels 10,542 

Other  meats,  pounds 200,221,000 

Hides,  pounds 165,700,650 

Wool,   pounds 72,673,060 

Potatoes,    bushels 9,327,220 

Hay,  tons 251,748 

Lumber,  thousand  feet 1,274,626 

Shingles,    thousand 431,454 

Cheese,  pounds 90,937,788 

Butter,    pounds 249,024,146 

Eggs,  cases  30  dozen 3,1 13,858 

Timothy  seed,  pounds 61,989,872 

Clover  seed,  pounds 7,920,245 

Flaxseed,    bushels 1,869,913 

Other  grass  seeds,  pounds.  .  .    18,812,780 

Broomcorn,  pounds 19,456,467 

Canned  meats,  cases 12,381 

Beef,    packages 58,870 

Salt,  barrels 445,040 

Tallow,   pounds 19,977,491 

Stearine,  pounds 1,028,793 

Oatmeal,   barrels 234,864 

Malt,  bushels 1,797,177 

Hops,  pounds 8,856,026 

Millstuffs,  pounds 503,103,658 

Oil  cake,  pounds 20,480,237 

Coal,  tons  estimated 10,000,000 

The  total  shipments  by  rail  of  leading  commodities 
for  the  year  1904  at  Chicago  follow: 

Cattle   i  ,326,332 

Sheep    1,362,270 

Live  and  dressed  hogs 1,746,867 

Dressed  beef,   pounds 1,072,156,300 

Lard,  pounds 336,546,963 

Barreled  pork,  barrels 106,721 

Other  meats  (hog),  pounds.  .652,546,606 


THE   CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 


91 


Hides,  pounds 194,555,251 

Wool,    pounds 64,465,859 

Potatoes,    bushels 2,440,105 

Hay,  tons 1 1 ,660 

Lumber,  thousand  feet 820,956 

Shingles,   thousand 434,195 

Cheese,   pounds 66,148,937 

Butter,  pounds 249,359,694 

Eggs,  cases  30  dozen 1,685,577 

Timothy  seed,  pounds 24,754,145 

Clover  seed,  pounds 6,223,528 

Flaxseed,    bushels 454,081 

Other  grass  seeds,  pounds .  .  .  36,476,203 

Broomcorn,    pounds 15,971,629 

Canned  meats,  cases 1,664,737 

Beef,  packages '.  .  95,839 

Salt,  barrels 372,408 

Tallow,   pounds 27,948,627 

Stearine,  pounds 9,030,906    - 

Oatmeal,   barrels 12,587 

Malt,  bushels 9-555, 5 18 

Hops,    pounds 7,410,854 

Millstuffs,  pounds 444,777,783 

Oil  cake,  pounds 69.869,916 

Coal,  tons  estimated 1,600,000 

Such  in  brief  is  the  immensity  of  the  railroad  interests 
centering  in  Chicago  at  the  beginning  of  the  city's  sec- 
ond century.  It  grew  from  small  beginnings,  the 
pioneer  days  of  Chicago  and  Illinois  railroading  being 
fraught  with  many  discouragements  and  hardships. 

The  first  railroad  legislation  in   Illinois,  passed  in 


1831,  had  for  its  real  purpose  the  facilitating  of  trade 
between  Southwestern  Illinois  and  St.  Louis.  It  was 
five  years  later  before  the  first  railway  charter  was 
granted  in  the  interest  of  Chicago.  That  pioneer  road 
was  the  Galena  &  Chicago  Union.  Its  charter  was 
issued  January  16,  1836,  and  the  name  indicates  the 
two  terminal  points.  It  will  be  observed  that  Galena 
comes  before  Chicago,  and  that  was  right.  It  was  then 
the  more  important  town  of  the  two. 

The  incorporators  were  clothed  with  large  powers. 
They  had  only  to  ask  and  they  would  receive.  They 
could  use  animal  or  steam  power,  whichever  they  pre- 
ferred, and  could  be  three  years  in  getting  to  work.  The 
capital  stock  was  placed  at  $100,000,  with  power  to  add 
a  cipher.  The  terminal  point  in  Chicago  was  fixed  at 
the  south  end  of  Dearborn  avenue.  A  little  work  was 
done,  but  not  much,  just  enough  to  vitalize  the  charter. 
Ten  years  passed  before  the  enterprise  was  fairly  placed 
on  a  practicable  basis.  From  that  time  on  it  went  ahead 
prosperously,  developing  into  the  Chicago  &  North- 
Western  system,  with  its  network  of  lines.  It  could  not 
have  a  more  appropriate  name  than  it  now  bears,  for  it 
brings  the  Northwest  and  Chicago  into  close  relation- 
ship. Galena  is  still  afforded  an  outlet  by  this  route,  but 
the  road  was  slow  in  reaching  there.  By  1850  it  had 
only  got  as  far  west  as  Elgin.  Only  two  days  after  the 
charter  of  the  Galena  &  Chicago  Union  was  granted  the 
Legislature  granted  a  charter  for  a  railroad  between 


GARFIELD   PARK. 


THE   CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 


Cairo  and  Peru.  It  was  a  project  making  rail  connec- 
tion subsidiary  to  water  transportation.  A  link  was 
supposed  to  be  needed  between  the  point  where  the 
Ohio  River  empties  into  the  Mississippi,  and  the  lower 
end  of  the  Illinois  and  Michigan  canal.  Nothing  came 
of  that  charter,  although  the  route  was  the  same,  so  far 
as  it  went,  as  that  of  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad. 

Practically  the  era  of  railroads  began  about  the  time 
that  the  Mexican  war  had  expanded  our  national  domain 
to  the  Pacific  Ocean.  The  idea  of  depending  on  canals 
was  very  nearly  abandoned  by  that  time.  It  is  a  remark- 
able, but  little  remarked,  fact,  that  hardly  had  this 
country  become  continental  in  area,  reaching  from  ocean 
to  ocean,  before  the  idea  of  a  railroad  from  Lake  Mich- 


railroad  from  Lake  Michigan  to  the  Pacific  Ocean,  and 
Senator  Douglas  was  also  clearly  right  in  giving  a 
subsidy  for  the  Illinois  Central  precedence  over  a  subsidy 
for  a  cross-continent  line. 

With  that  hard  sense  in  legislation  which  made  him 
a  great  power  in  Congress,  Mr.  Douglas  combined  three 
states  in  his  project,  Illinois,  Mississippi  and  Alabama. 
His  bill  was  for  a  right  of  way  and  land  subidy  for  a 
railroad  from  Chicago  to  Mobile.  In  the  interest  of 
Iowa  it  was  amended  to  include  a  branch  "to  the  Missis- 
sippi River  opposite  Dubuque."  This  bill  was  introduced 
in  1848  and  became  a  law  in  1850.  That  was  the  begin- 
ning of  the  land  grant  railway  system  which  has  done 
much  to  develop  the  \Vest  and  thus  to  build  up  Chicago. 


DOUGLAS    PARK    VIEWS. 


igan  to  the  Pacific,  that  is,  from  Chicago  to  San  Fran- 
cisco, took  formal  but  not  immediately  tangible  form. 
Sidney  Breese.  then  United  States  senator  from  Illinois, 
urged  such  a  project  and  the  Legislature  of  Illinois 
indorsed  it.  But  Breese's  colleague.  Stephen  A.  Doug- 
las, while  not  opposed  to  the  Pacific  project,  took 
greater  interest  in  securing  a  north  and  south  railroad 
the  entire  length  of  Illinois.  That  was  the  more  imme- 
diate demand,  especially  from  the  standpoint  of  the  state. 
Senator  Breese,  afterward  Judge  Breese,  lived  to  see 
his  idea  carried  out,  but  he  took  no  part  in  its  execution, 
and  before  it  was  put  into  operation  several  east  and 
west  railroads  having  Chicago  as  their  eastern  terminus 
had  been  constructed ;  and  the  Missouri  River,  not  Lake 
Michigan,  had  come  to  be  regarded  the  terminal  line  on 
the  east.  But  the  Illinois  Legislature  of  1847  was  clearly 
right  in  heartily  concurring  in  the  idea  of  a  grand  Pacific 


The  total  grant  in  this  state  was  2.595.000  acres,  most  of 
it  the  best  of  agricultural  land. 

The  Legislature  of  Illinois  repealed  the  inoperative 
act  of  1836,  incorporating  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad 
Company,  and  complied  with  the  provisions  of  the 
congressional  grant,  so  far  as  the  same  related  to  this 
state,  using  the  name  of  Illinois  Central.  Right  here 
comes  in  the  part  played  by  the  state  debt,  incurred  in 
large  part  in  the  construction  of  the  Illinois  and  Michi- 
gan Canal.  The  holders  of  the  state  bonds  conceived 
the  idea  of  utilizing  the  Illinois  Central  project  to  make 
sure  that  the  state  should  be  in  a  condition  to  meet  the 
interest  on  those  on  its  debt.  They  secured,  through 
the  influence  at  Springfield  of  their  attorney.  Robert 
Rantoul,  one  of  the  great  New  England  lawyers  of  the 
day,  a  provision  to  the  effect  that  in  lieu  of  all  other  tax- 
ation the  company  should  pay  into  the  state  treasury 


THE   CITY   OF  CHICAGO. 


seven  per  cent  of  its  gross  earnings.  This  was  a  good 
arrangement  for  the  state  also,  and  is  now  made  per- 
petual by  constitutional  guarantee. 

The  Illinois  Central  was  completed  in  the  summer 
of  1 854.  Then  for  the  first  time  and  for  all  time  Chicago 
became  the  veritable  metropolis  of  Illinois,  affording  the 
surplus  products  of  the  state  its  entire  length  their  best 
outlet  to  the  populous  East  and  the  Atlantic  seaboard. 
From  this  time  on  Chicago  had  no  occasion  to  be  at 
all  anxious  about  its  future.  The  railway  system  of  the 
West  was  compelled  by  self-interest  to  literally  "make 
tracks"  for  this  city.  The  eastern  trunk  lines,  the  Michi- 
gan Central  and  Lake  Shore  &  Michigan  Southern,  were 
obliged  to  come  here  with  and  for  their  business.  New 
Buffalo,  Fort  Wayne  and  such  points  to  the  east  were 
obliged  to  content  themselves  with  being  way  stations. 

When  the  great  fire  of  1871  came  it  was  the  network 
of  railroads  centering  in  this  focal  point  which  made  the 
rebuilding  of  the  city  inevitable.  If  every  structure  in 
the  city  had  been  leveled  to  an  ash  heap  it  would  have 
been  the  same.  Not  only  was  the  Chicago  river  here 
to  renew  its  invitation  to  lake  commerce,  but  the  rail- 
roads were  intact.  Their  depots  only  were  gone,  and 
not  all  of  them. 

Important  as  Chicago  had  become  at  the  time  of  the 
fire  as  a  railway  center,  it  may  be  said  to  have  entered 
upon  a  new  railway  era  with  1872.  Its  mileage  was 
about  doubled  in  a  decade,  and  from  the  Grand  Trunk 
on  the  north  to  the  Baltimore  &  Ohio  on  the  south  the 
necessity  of  reaching  this  city  was  recognized.  Nor  is 
it  too  much  to  say  that  the  entire  Western  system  of 
railroads,  including  Mexico  and  Canada,  center  directly 
or  indirectly  in  Chicago. 

In  order  to  give  further  clearness  to  the  conception 
of  Chicago  as  a  railway  center  there  is  herewith 
appended  a  table  presenting  the  more  important  general 
facts  about  the  railway  systems  which  have  in  this  city 
a  common  meeting-place. 


Chicago  &  North-Western  Railway  Company.  Chi- 
cago's Pioneer  Railway  System.  The  growth  of  Chi- 
cago, unprecedented  as  it  has  been,  has  not  been  greater 
than  the  expansion  of  its  first  line  of  railway.  In  1848 
Chicago  boasted  of  only  ten  miles  of  rail,  extending 
west  from  Wells  and  Kinzie  streets,  the  present  site  of 
the  Chicago  &  North-Western  passenger  station,  to  the 
Des  Plaines  River.  This  ten  miles  of  track  was  destined 
to  become  the  nucleus  of  a  system  of  more  than  9,000 
miles  of  railway,  with  wharves,  elevators,  ware- 
houses and  yards  with  which  to  care  for  an  immense 
freight  traffic. 

Three  hundred  passenger  trains  arrive  and  depart 
daily  from  its  \Vells  street  station,  serving  more  than 
1,700  western  communities,  with  a  tributary  population 
of  8,000,000  people. 

Probably  no  feature  has  done  so  much  towards  pro- 
moting the  wonderful  growth  of  Chicago  since  its  settle- 
ment in  1 803  as  the  development  of  the  city's  transpor- 
tation facilities  to  the  West  and  Northwest.  It  was 
thoroughly  typical  of  the  spirit  that  has  made  possible 
the  Chicago  of  to-day,  and  our  western  country  in  gen- 
eral, that  only  twenty  months  after  the  territory  east  of 
the  Mississippi  River  had  been  ceded  to  the  United 
States  by  the  Indian  tribes,  citizens  of  the  active  little 
town  on  Lake  Michigan  secured  a  charter  for  the  build- 
ing of  what  has  now  developed  into  the  great  Chicago 
&  North-Western  Railway  System. 

Thus  the  history  of  this  pioneer  railway  of  the  West 
is  closely  linked  with  the  history  of  the  city  with  which 
it  has  grown  and  developed,  and  the  interests  of  the  two 
have  intermingled  as  the  years  have  passed. 

Chicago's  fame  and  Chicago's  wealth  have  both 
depended  largely  upon  her  importance  as  a  grain  and 
live  stock  market,  and  the  first  train  into  Chicago  on 
what  is  now  the  North-Western  Line  holds  the  dis- 


RAILROADS 

Mileage. 

Capitaliza- 
tion. 

Passengers 
Carried. 

Freight 
Carried 
(Tons). 

Passenger 
Earnings. 

Freight 
Karnings. 

Gross. 

Net. 

Atchison,  Topeka  A  Santa  Ke... 

8,301 

$445.631.580 

7,622.012 

13.195.597 

$15,433.774 

$47,763,653 

$68,171,200 

$24.033.031 

lialtimore  A  Ohio  

3  987 

422  779  227 

15,403061 

43  347  193 

13.146.449 

48.617,103 

65071.081 

20,136707 

Chicago,  Kurlington  A  Quincy 

8821 

281  854  200 

1  4  098  053 

20  634  024 

14  494  573 

44  651  997 

65  228  192 

20  649  250 

Chicago  and  Alton  

915 

106  086  800 

3  227,611 

6  121  333 

3.351,943 

7,445.877 

1  1  ,425  &53 

3.561  253 

Chicago  A:  Kastern  Illinois        

758 

44  049  136 

4  159  682 

9  4J5  731 

1  ,224  031 

7  203  681 

8  664,043 

3  327  651 

Chicago  A  North-Western  

7.412 

223.788.483 

21,395,312 

28  128  810 

13.027,708 

37,254,539 

53.334.633 

16.107.524 

Chicago  Great  Western  

874 

82  040  845 

1  938340 

2825  601 

1,780  151 

5  811  059 

8  022.674 

1,902632 

592 

29  942  000 

1  400  026 

2  965  945 

1  239  101 

3  735  029 

5300623 

1  884  454 

Chicago.  Milwaukee  A  St.  Paul         

6.906 

224,305  800 

9  752  419 

21  267370 

9,661  633 

35.081.759 

48  330,334 

17.161,320 

Chicago,  Rock  Island  A  Pacific 

7  205 

247  047  600 

11  536  847 

13567  817 

11,697  033 

31  167  006 

44  969  491 

17  169014 

Chicago  A  Western  Indiana  .                         ..         .... 

113 

22  895  060 

Polk  St. 

Chicago  Terminal  Transfer 

268 

47  392  234 

61  794 

1  527  016 

1,588  765 

93201 

Cleveland,  Cincinnati,  Chicago  A  St.  Louis  ... 

2,287 

100.657.801) 

6.115443 

12,510586 

6.378  877 

13.053,864 

21,069  954 

4.339,728 

Erie  

2315 

368065561 

20395440 

29  835  105 

8  077  464 

32  522.742 

43.005213 

12  742515 

3562 

340  144  31° 

9  099  567 

13  484  056 

7  871  668 

18  879  156 

26  750  824 

8  315  293 

Illinois  Central  ...                       

4  374 

24U.712.275 

22.563613 

22420814 

9,554.743 

31  .692  575 

46,831,136 

12.095.  153 

Lake  Shore  A  Michigan  Southern 

1  454 

141  324  000 

6  176  269 

26  846  89  1 

7  095  790 

24  185  294 

35  161  053 

12  484  008 

Michigan  Central 

1  653 

79  664  Ol'O 

3  657  010 

13  55!  195 

4  818  763 

15  273  012 

21  492  944 

3  340  278 

New  York.  Chicago  A  St    Louis 

523 

49  425  000 

895568 

5  14<"  411 

1  336  834 

7  152  631 

8  645  374 

2  223.231 

Pere  Marquette 

1  941 

71  773  6*> 

3  227  611 

6  121  333 

3  351  943 

7  44o  877 

1  1  425  853 

3  561  253 

Pitt^burg,  Ft.  Wavne  &  Chicago 

1.526 

5  868  722 

27485  171 

36.390.582 

10,347.220 

Pittsburg,  Cincinnati  Chicago  A  St    Louis 

1  423 

76  095  400 

10  415  940 

30  940  272 

6  799  839 

19  148  917 

28  532  475 

7,166  811 

\Vabash    

2517 

162,513.000 

6.183,474 

6  698995 

7  045  525 

14  064  657 

23.023,627 

4.589.959 

Wisconsin  Central..  . 

977 

54.770.980 

1,159.904 

3.944.020 

1.405.783 

4.765.605 

6.466.177 

1.871,525 

04 


THE  CITY   OF  CHICAGO. 


tinction  of  having  brought  the  first  rail  shipment  of 
grain  to  the  city.  To-day  these  pioneer  shipments 
have  grown  until  $350,000,000  worth  of  live  stock 
reaches  the  Chicago  market  each  year,  and  the  Chi- 
cago &  North-\Yestern  alone  brings  to  the  city  a 
quarter  billion  bushels  of  grain  annually. 

It  was  the  North-Western  Line  which,  pushing  its 
rails  into  Council  Bluffs  in  1867,  hastened  the  building 
of  the  Pacific  railways  and  the  completion  of  all-rail 
connection  between  the  Atlantic  and  the  Pacific,  and  it 


markets  of  the  central  West,  the  Rocky  Mountain  region 
and  the  Pacific  Coast. 

The  famous  "Overland  Limited"  and  other  daily 
trans-continental  trains  stand  as  splendid  examples  of 
long-distance  travel,  travel,  too,  that  is  surrounded  by 
luxuries  and  comforts  the  western  traveler  of  thirty 
years  ago  could  not  have  imagined. 

Colorado,  not  so  long  ago  considered  to  be  in  the 
extreme  far  West  and  visited  by  comparatively  few 
eastern  people,  is  now  reached  by  the  North-Western 


CHICAGO    &    NORTH-WESTERN    DEPOT. 


has  now  gained  national  note  as  being  "the  only  double- 
track  railway  between  Chicago  and  the  Missouri  River." 
Over  this  great  double-track,  block  system  line 
between  Chicago  and  Council  Bluffs,  long  trains  of  live 
stock  and  grain,  of  California  fruits,  and  of  silks,  teas 
and  spices  from  the  far  East  move  in  steady  lines  east- 
ward; while  in  the  opposite  direction  the  products  of 
every  branch  of  commercial  activity  are  carried  to  the 
markets  of  Asiatic  Russia,  Japan,  China,  the  Philippines 
and  Australia,  Alaska  and  Hawaii,  and  to  the  nearer 


Line  and  its  connections  in  a  day  and  a  night  with 
two  fast  through  trains  to  Denver  daily. 

Nor  are  the  activities  of  the  North-Western  Line 
confined  to  this  east  and  west  movement.  To  the 
northward  it  is  the  pioneer  line  and  direct  route  to  the 
hardwood  country  and  iron  and  copper  mines  of 
northern  Wisconsin  and  the  upper  peninsula  of  Michi- 
gan, furnishing  means  of  transportation  for  the  enor- 
mous products  of  this  rich  region. 

St.    Paul   and    Minneapolis,    twin   gateways   to   the 


THE  CITY   OF  CHICAGO. 


Northwest,  are  closely  linked  to  Chicago  with  four  fast 
trains  daily  in  each  direction. 

To  Duluth  and  Superior  there  are  two  daily  trains, 
The      "Duluth-Superior      Limited,"      electric-lighted 


become  general  manager  of  the   Pullman   Palace  Car 
Company. 

In  1872  he  went  to  the  Chicago  &  North- Western 

Railway  as  general   superintendent   and   has  remained 


,„<"•  •""' 

„>*  _.    _  <c 


"'  V7?X^>, 


INDICATES  OOUBU  TRACK 


<     °°*"  *  ^>7  *°   #s      A    v 

*^ 


throughout,  affords  to  passengers  to  the  head-of-the- 
lakes  all  the  comforts  and  convenience  of  modern  high- 
class  travel. 

Between  Chicago  and  Milwaukee  the  North- 
Western  Line  operates  twenty-one  trains  a  day  over 
what  is  practically  a  six-track  line  along  the  beautiful 
shore  of  Lake  Michigan,  the  "North  Shore  Special," 
the  train  of  green  and  gold,  being  the  most  handsomely 
equipped  train  ever  placed  in  service  to  and  from  the 
Cream  City. 

This  year  thousands  have  visited  the  Lewis  &  Clark 
Centennial  Exposition  at  Portland,  Oregon,  traveling 
westward  from  Chicago  over  its  rails,  and  thousands 
more  find  its  train  service  a  convenient  means  of  travel 
to  and  fro  between  Chicago  and  Colorado,  Utah,  Cali- 
fornia and  the  Pacific  Northwest,  to  the  Black  Hills,  the 
Yellowstone  National  Park,  Alaska,  and  to  the  hun- 
dreds of  summer  resorts  and  hunting  and  fishing 
grounds  of  Wisconsin,  Michigan  and  Minnesota. 

Marvin  Hughitt's  meteoric  career  has  ever  been  up 
and  onward.  In  his  vocabulary  there  has  never  been 
such  a  word  as  "failure."  Marvin  Hughitt  was  born 
at  Seneca,  New  York,  in  1836.  He  entered  the  railway 
service  as  superintendent  of  telegraph  and  trainmaster 
of  the  St.  Louis,  Alton  &  Chicago  road  (now  Chicago 
&  Alton). 

From  1862  to  1864  he  was  superintendent  of  the 
southern  division  of  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  and 
was  afterward  general  superintendent  of  that  road  until 
1870,  when  he  became  connected  with  the  Chicago, 
Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  Company  as  assistant  general 
manager.  He  relinquished  his  position  in  1871  to 


with  that  company  ever  since,  serving  from  1876  to 
1880  as  general  manager,  from  1880  to  1887  as  vice- 
president  and  general  manager  and  from  1887  to  the 
present  time  as  president  of  the  company. 

No  better  illustration  of  the  marked  ability  of  Mr. 
Hughitt   can   be   found   than   his  wonderful   record  of 


MARVIN  HUGHITT. 

forty-eight  years  of  railroad  work.  Despite  his  assidu- 
ous attention  to  work,  Mr.  Hughitt  has  found  time  to 
accumulate  a  particularly  fine  library.  His  palatial 


residence  on  Prairie  avenue  is  one  of  the  show 
of  that  fine  boulevard. 

Mr.  Hughitt  is  a  member  of  the  Chicago  and  Union 
League  clubs.     His  summer  home  is  at  Lake  Forest. 

Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  Railway  Company. 

The    beginning    of    the    present    Chicago,    Milwaukee 


THE   CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 
places 


Railroad  in  1863,  and  the  La  Crosse  division  of  the 
present  company  in  1866.  In  April,  1852,  the  La  Crosse 
&  Milwaukee  Railroad  Company  was  incorporated,  and 
in  June,  1853,  by  a  consolidation  of  two  other  railroad 
charters,  the  Milwaukee,  Fond  du  Lac  &  Green  Bay 
Railroad  Company  was  formed,  and  work  begun  on  the 


&  St.  Paul  Railway  Company  dates  from  1849,  when 
the  Milwaukee  &  Mississippi  Company  was  formed  for 
the  purpose  of  connecting  that  city  by  rail  with  the 
Mississippi.  In  April,  1857,  the  road  was  completed 
to  Prairie  du  Chien,  but  two  years  later,  the  company 
being  unable  to  pay  its  interest,  a  mortgage  sale  was 
ordered,  and  a  new  company,  which  had  been  chartered 
by  the  Legislature  in  1860,  under  the  name  of  the  Mil- 
waukee &  Prairie  du  Chien  Railway  Company,  pur- 
chased the  property  January  21,  1861.  This  company 
operated  the  road  until  1866,  when  it  was  absorbed  by 
the  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  Railway  Company. 

The  Milwaukee  &  Watertown  Railroad,  now  part  of 
the  La  Crosse  division  of  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St. 
Paul  Railway,  was  incorporated  in  March,  1851,  and  by 
the  latter  part  of  1856  trains  were  running  from  Mil- 
waukee to  Columbus.  After  going  through  a  variety 
of  changes  the  road  became  the  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul 


line  from  Milwaukee  toward  Fond  du  Lac.  Two  years 
later  the  La  Crosse  &  Milwaukee  Railroad  Company 
was  consolidated  with  the  Milwaukee,  Fond  du  Lac  & 
Green  Bay  Railroad  Company,  assuming  the  name  of 
the  latter  company,  and  after  a  series  of  litigations  the 
Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  Company  gained  final  possession, 
by  purchase,  of  the  property  in  1867.  This  same  com- 
pany also  acquired  the  Milwaukee  &  Horicon  road  by 
purchase  in  1863. 

The  present  Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  Railway 
Company  grew  out  of  the  organization  formed  May  5, 
1863,  for  the  purpose  of  purchasing  all  the  roads  thus 
far  mentioned,  but  the  word  "Chicago"  was  not  prefixed 
until  February.  1874,  the  line  between  Milwaukee  and 
Chicago  having  been  constructed  during  the  previous 
year.  The  policy  of  the  new  management  was  one  of 
expansion,  and  from  1875  to  1880  several  small  roads 
were  either  leased  or  purchased,  among  them  the 


THE   CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 


97 


Dubuque  &  Southwestern  Railroad,  in  Iowa;  the  Min- 
nesota Midland  Railway  Company,  in  Minnesota ;  the 
Madison  &  Portage  Railroad,  Viroqua  Railway  Com- 
pany, and  Oshkosh  &  Mississippi  Railroad  Company, 
all  of  Wisconsin.  During  1880  eight  roads,  with  a  total 
of  1,195  miles,  were  added  to  the  system,  which  was 
further  increased  during  the  year  by  the  construction 
of  349  miles  of  branches  and  extensions.  In  1881,  442 
miles  of  road  were  added ;  in  1882  the  system  was  further 
increased  by  303  miles;  in  1883;  by  240  miles;  in  1884, 
by  44  miles,  thus  making  a  total  on  January  i,  1885,  of 
4,760  miles  of  road  under  operation  by  this  company. 
Since  1885,  further  lines  have  been  leased  or  built,  until 
there  are  now  operated  7,085  miles  of  thoroughly- 
equipped  road  in  the  states  of  Illinois,  Wisconsin,  Iowa, 
Minnesota,  South  Dakota,  North  Dakota,  Missouri  and 
the  upper  peninsula  of  Michigan. 

The  Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  Railway  Com- 
pany has  been  the  foremost  line  in  the  West  in  adopting 


Limited,"  which  leaves  Chicago  every  night  at  6:30, 
reaching  St.  Paul  and  Minneapolis  early  the  following 
morning,  is  well  entitled  to  the  claim  made  for  it,  that 
it  is  the  only  perfect  train  in  the  world. 

Illinois  Central  Railroad.  As  will  be  seen  from  the 
accompanying  map,  the  lines  of  the  Illinois  Central 
Railroad  extend  south  from  Chicago  to  St.  Louis,  to 
Evansville,  and  to  Memphis  and  New  Orleans;  south 
from  St.  Louis  and  Louisville  and  Cincinnati  to  Mem- 
phis and  New  Orleans;  and  from  Chicago  west  to 
Council  Bluffs  and  Omaha,  to  Sioux  City  and  to  Sioux 
Falls.  The  total  mileage  of  this  great  railroad,  includ- 
ing that  of  the  Yazoo  &  Mississippi  Valley  Railroad 
from  Memphis  to  New  Orleans,  was  5,584  miles  at  the 
close  of  the  last  fiscal  year,  June  30,  1905. 

The  material,  or  tangible,  beginning  of  the  Illinois 
Central  may  be  said  to  have  been  in  the  years  1855  and 
1856,  at  which  time  its  original  706  miles  were  com- 


ILLINOIS  CENTRAL  DEPOT. 


every  possible  appliance  for  the  safety  and  comfort  of 
its  passengers,  including  an  absolute  block  system, 
Westinghouse  train  signals,  steam  heat,  electric  light, 
vestibuled  and  compartment  cars.  Its  train  service  is 
unsurpassed,  and  its  celebrated  train,  "The  Pioneer 

7 


pleted  and  opened  between  Dunleith,  now  East 
Dubuque,  and  Cairo,  and  between  Chicago  and  Cen- 
tralia. 

Its  first  passenger  station  in  Chicago  was  at  Twelfth 
street,  on  a  section  of  the  grounds  now  occupied  by 


98 


THE   CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 


J^a*^fc<r5w^vsB^P* 

^^\^Kk:3^^^fe 


rT*fc*W       /     •£*%.   ColumBlfc'  X. 

^«S\>/V7JBC 


s^: 


ONSTRUCTION 


ILLINOIS    CENTRAL    RAILROAD. 


THE   CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 


99 


its  present  "Central  Station"  located  between  Park 
Row  and  Twelfth  street  on  the  Lake  Front.  Early 
in  its  development  the  line  was  extended  to  the  foot  of 
Lake  street  over  trestle-work  constructed  for  the  pur- 
pose, thus  crossing  the  waters  of  the  lake  encroaching 
on  what  is  now  Michigan  avenue.  Later,  on  the  fill- 
ing in  of  this  water  stretch  by  the  city  and  the  rail- 
road company,  the  trestle-work  disappeared.  A  few 
years  ago  when  the  Illinois  Central  depressed  its  tracks 
between  Park  Row  and  Van  Buren  street  this  trestle- 
work  was  uncovered.  At  the  new  terminus  on  Lake 
street,  what  was  in  its  day  a  fine  stone  station,  was 
erected,  and  became  ultimately  one  of  the  last  relics 
of  Chicago's  great  fire.  In  1893  it  was  abandoned 
and  the  present  Central  Station  occupied  as  the  pas- 
senger terminal  for  through  trains. 

During  the  intervening  years,  between  1856  and  the 
present  day,  the  Illinois  Central  has  contributed  its 
share  towards  the  development  of  the  Mississippi  Val- 
ley and  the  City  of  Chicago.  By  dikes,  piers  and 
breakwaters  the  company  has  for  fifty  years  protected 
the  City  of  Chicago  against  the  encroachment  of  Lake 
Michigan,  and  has  spent  in  so  doing  over  three  million 
dollars  of  money.  It  was  a  large  factor  in  making  the 
World's  Fair  of  1893  possible,  it  being  the  first  rail- 
road in  the  city  to  elevate  its  tracks.  It  made  possible, 
by  filling  and  reconstruction,  the  Lake  Front  Park 
from  an  unsightly  loafing  ground  to  the  present  attract- 
ive Logan  Park  along  Michigan  avenue,  and  will  build 
the  inner  wall  marking  the  boundary  of  the  new  park 
along  the  Lake  Front  which  is  being  so  rapidly  filled  in. 

That  it  is  an  important  factor  in  the  tax  situation  of 
the  City  of  Chicago  will  be  seen  from  the  following 
facts:  The  charter  of  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad 
Company  reserves  for  the  State  of  Illinois,  in  lieu  of 
taxes,  seven  per  cent  of  the  gross  receipts  of  the  706 
miles  of  railroad  originally  built  under  the  charter. 
The  sum  so  paid  for  the  year  ending  June  30,  1903, 
was  the  largest  ever  turned  into  the  state  treasury,  it 
having  been  $1,026,650.84.  This,  if  capitalized  at 
three  and  one-half  per  cent  would  give  $29,332,880  as 
representing  the  proprietary  interest  of  the  State  of 
Illinois  in  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  The  City  of 
Chicago  pays  rather  more  than  one-third  of  the  total 
taxes  of  the  State  of  Illinois.  From  these  two  facts  it 
will  be  apparent  that  the  direct  money  interest  of  Chi- 
caeo  in  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  is  considerable. 

o 

In  short,  valuable  as  are  the  company's  lands  and 
buildings  to  Chicago,  the  saving  in  taxation  to  the  city 
is  very  largely  in  excess  of  what  would  be  paid  by  direct 
taxes,  and  largely  in  excess  of  what  is  paid  by  any  of 
its  competitors. 

In  line  with  the  early  history  of  the  road  within 
the  City  of  Chicago,  it  should  not  be  forgotten  to 
mention  the  extraordinary  development  in  connection 


with  its  suburban  service.  The  Illinois  Central's  first 
suburban  train  was  run  out  of  Chicago  June  i,  1856, 
to  a  point  just  south  of  Hyde  Park.  At  first  there  were 
but  three  trains  a  day  in  each  direction,  increasing  in 
number  as  circumstances  warranted.  They  were  run, 
however,  up  to  1864  at  a  loss  to  the  company,  and  it  is 
questionable  whether  the  latter  received  any  profit 
from  its  suburban  service  for  many  years  after  that 
date.  Beginning  about  1880,  however,  by  the  inaugu- 
ration of  special  equipment,  and  the  addition  of  two 
tracks  for  the  exclusive  use  of  the  suburban  trains,  an 
era  of  prosperity  began  for  this  service  which  has  con- 
tinued ever  since.  To-day  it  runs  122  trains,  includ- 
ing express  and  local,  in  each  direction  between  Ran- 
dolph street  and  suburban  points,  not  counting  its 
suburban  service  west.  Another  era  in  this  suburban 
train  development  dates  from  the  World's  Fair  of  1893, 
at  which  time  the  special  service  designed  for  that  occa- 
sion was  put  in  effect.  Between  May  i  and  October 
31,  the  exposition  period,  29,528,435  passengers  were 
carried  on  the  suburban  trains  of  the  Illinois  Central 
without  the  loss  of  a  life.  In  addition,  out  of  this 
Columbian  Exposition  service  was  developed  the  present 
express  suburban  service,  operated  on  double  tracks 
independent  of  the  double  tracks  assigned  to  the  local 
suburban  service,  making  four  tracks  in  all  for  the 
suburban  business. 

In  conclusion  it  should  not  be  forgotten  that  the 
Illinois  Central,  with  its  fast  through  passenger  and 
its  fast  manifest  freight  service,  is  a  most  important 
factor  in  linking  Chicago  to  the  South  and  West. 

Chicago    Terminal    Transfer     Railroad     Company. 

Although  chartered  as  recently  as  June  4,  1897,  the 
history  of  this  property  dates  from  1867,  wrhen  the  old 
La  Salle  &  Chicago  Railroad  Company  was  granted  the 
power  by  the  Legislature  to  construct  a  line  of  road 
between  the  points  named  in  its  title.  No  determined 
effort  was  made  to  construct  the  line  until  1885,  when 
parties  secured  an  interest  in  the  organization  with  a 
view  of  constructing  the  line  and  employing  it  as  a  link 
in  a  through  route  from  Chicago  to  the  Northwest. 
The  Chicago  &  Great  Western  Railroad  Company  was 
the  title  under  which  operations  were  continued  until 
1890,  when  the  Chicago  &  Northern  Pacific  Railroad 
Company,  organized  the  previous  year,  purchased  and 
consolidated  under  one  management  the  Chicago  & 
Great  Western  Railroad  Company,  the  Chicago,  Harlem 
&  Batavia  Railway  Company  and  the  Bridgeport  & 
South  Chicago  Railroad  Company,  together  with  the 
property  on  which  is  located  the  Grand  Central  Passen- 
ger Station  in  Chicago.  The  road  was  operated  as  the 
Chicago  &  Northern  Pacific  Railroad  Company  until 
1897,  when  the  Chicago  Terminal  Transfer  Railroad 
Company,  chartered  on  June  4  of  that  year,  acquired. 


100 


•////•    CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 


through  sale  under  foreclosure,  all  the  property  owned 
by  this  road,  and  subsequently  also  acquired  the  prop- 
erty of  the  Chicago  &  Calumet  Terminal  Railway  Com- 
pany, a  consolidation,  brought  about  in  1888.  of  the 
Calumet  River,  Hammond  &  Lake  Michigan  and  Chi- 
cago &  Calumet  Terminal  Railroad  companies.  These, 
in  brief,  have  been  the  principal  steps  leading  up  to  the 
formation  of  the  most  extensive  terminal  company  oper- 
ating in  and  about  Chicago. 

The  Chicago  Terminal  Transfer  Railroad  Company 


Suburban  Railroad.  The  Chicago  Terminal  Transfer 
Railroad  Company  has  direct  connection,  by  means 
of  its  244.5  miles  of  track,  with  every  railroad  enter- 
ing Chicago,  and  it  thus  affords  a  rapid  transfer  of 
freight  between  different  lines.  Starting  from  South 
Chicago,  its  belt  line  runs  through  Whiting,  Indiana, 
and  thence  in  a  western  and  northwestern  direction 
to  McCook,  Illinois,  thus  reaching  the  leading  indus- 
tries and  manufacturing  plants  located  at  South 
Chicago,  Whiting,  East  Chicago,  Hammond,  Blue 


GRAND   CENTRAL  PASSENGER  STATION. 


is  a  company  formed  to  acquire  and  lease  facilities  to 
other  roads  and  to  transact  a  local  suburban  and  switch- 
ing business.  The  property  of  the  company  consists 
of  passenger  and  freight  terminals  in  the  business  center 
of  the  city,  lines  of  railway  leading  thereto,  and  a  belt 
line  about  the  city,  just  outside  the  corporate  limits. 
At  the  present  time  the  terminals  of  this  company  are 
used  by  the  Chicago  •  Great  \Yestern  Railway  Company. 
Baltimore  &  Ohio  Railroad  Company  and  Pere  Mar- 
quette  system.  It  also  leases  a  considerable  trackage 
to  the  Chicago  Junction  Railway  Company,  \\~abash  and 


Island,  Harvey,  Thornton,  Chicago  Heights,  Chicago 
Ridge,  Chappell  and  McCook.  It  also  has  connections 
with  the  industries  at  La  Grange,  Broadview,  Bellewoocl, 
Melrose  and  Franklin  Park.  An  extension  from  the 
latter  point  to  Mayfair  is  now  under  construction,  and 
when  that  is  completed  it  will  afford  direct  connections 
outside  corporate  limits  with  all  the  railroads  centering 
in  the  city.  The  amount  of  traffic  originating  on  this 
railroad  and  delivered  daily  to  the  railroads  by  this  com- 
pany is  very  large.  By  its  facilities  for  prompt  transfer, 
its  motive  power  and  equipment  it  has  attained  a  front 


THE   CITY   01-    CHICAGO. 


101 


rank  in  its  particular  field  among  the  roads  dependent 
upon  it. 

From  Blue  Island  the  Chicago  Terminal  Transfer 
Railroad  Company  has  a  line  running-  directly  north  into 
the  city  to  Western  avenue  and  West  Twelfth  street, 
and  from  thence  to  the  Grand  Central  Passenger  Sta- 
tion, at  Harrison  and  Fifth  avenue,  thus  affording  a 
second  connection  with  many  of  the  trunk  lines  within 
the  city  limits. 

When  it  is  considered  that  the  railroads  entering  Chi- 
cago are  by  far  the  greatest  factor  in  the  city's  trade 
and  commerce,  the  importance  of  the  road  under  con- 
sideration, with  its  facilities  of  track,  terminals,  connec- 
tions, etc.,  is  the  more  easily  understood.  Besides  oper- 
ating nearly  250  miles  of  track,  this  company  also  owns 
over  760  acres  of  real  estate  in  and  adjacent  to  the  city, 
of  which  more  than  50  acres  are  in  the  center  of  the 
business  portion.  It  owns  about  7,500  feet  of  frontage 
on  the  Chicago  river,  and  also  the  Grand  Central  Pas- 
senger Station  in  the  heart  of  the  city.  The  latter,  which 
covers  nearly  four  acres  of  ground,  is  one  of  the  best 
specimens  of  the  highest  type  of  modern  architecture 
to  be  found  in  the  United  States,  and  it  is  classed  among 
the  great  buildings  which  have  made  Chicago  famous. 
Constructed  of  pressed  brick  and  Connecticut  brown- 
stone,  it  is  surmounted  by  a  tower,  242  feet  high  above 
the  foundation,  27  feet  square,  and  weighing  6,000 
tons.  This  tower  contains  the  second  largest  clock 
in  the  United  States,  having  four  dials,  each  13^  feet  in 
diameter.  The  hours  are  struck  by  a  hammer,  weighing 
250  pounds,  on  a  5^2-ton  bell.  The  building,  which  was 
opened  to  the  public  on  Monday,  December  8,  1890,  has 
a  frontage  on  Harrison  street  of  228  feet  and  of  482  feet 
on  Fifth  avenue.  The  main  waiting-room,  situated  on 
the  ground  floor,  is  267  feet  long,  71  feet  wide,  and  with 
a  ceiling  25  feet  high.  A  ladies'  parlor,  32x40  feet, 
adjoins  the  same.  To  enter  trains,  passengers  do  not 
have  to  climb  stairs,  but  enter  the  train-shed  directly 
from  the  waiting-room.  Another  feature  of  its  con- 
struction worthy  of  special  notice,  is  the  carriage  court, 
146x167  feet,  by  which  carriages,  buses  and  automo- 
biles in  large  numbers  at  once  can  enter  and  discharge 
their  passengers  at  the  entrance  to  the  waiting-room  and 
train-shed.  A  dining-room,  56x73  feet,  is  located  on  the 
second  floor,  and  the  remainder  of  the  upper  floors  is 
devoted  to  offices,  including  the  general  offices  of  the 
Chicago  Terminal  Transfer  Railroad  Company. 

A  noteworthy  feature,  which  should  be  mentioned  in 
regard  to  this  company,  is  the  commanding  position 
which  it  occupies  with  respect  to  freight  terminal  facili- 
ties, as  well  as  passenger  accommodations.  Its  tracks 
penetrate  the  heart  of  the  manufacturing  district  of  Chi- 
cago, and  the  growth  of  its  switching  business, 
so-called,  has  been  phenomenal,  consequent  upon  the 
increase  in  the  number  and  extent  of  such  manufactories. 


Its  tenant  lines  have  benefited  in  this  regard,  they  enjoy- 
ing the  right  to  handle  the  traffic  with  their  own  engines 
to  and  from  tracks  to  industries  tributary  to  the 
main  tracks,  which  they  have  the  use  of  under  their 
respective  leases.  But  other  railroads  entering  Chicago, 
alive  to  the  situation  in  this  regard,  have  not  been  slow 
to  appreciate  the  advantage  which  follows  direct  con- 
nection with  the  manufacturing  interests  spoken  of; 
hence  there  is  a  constant  demand  from  what  may  be 
termed  outside  railroads  for  branch  freight  terminal 
facilities  in  the  district  referred  to,  and  the  day  is  not 
far  distant  when  the  larger  proportion  of  the  railroads 
reaching  Chicago  will  of  necessity  have  established 


JOHN  NICHOLSON   FAITHORN. 

facilities  for  the  receipt  and  delivery  of  freight  on  the 
rails  of  this  terminal  company. 

The  officers  of  this  company  are  :  John  N.  Faithorn, 
president  and  general  manager ;  S.  L.  Prest,  comp- 
troller; H.  H.  Hall,  treasurer;  W.  B.  Barr,  general 
freight  agent;  J.  B.  Barton,  general  attorney;  E.  R. 
Knowlton,  superintendent. 

John  Nicholson  Faithorn,  president  and  genera! 
manager  of  the  Chicago  Terminal  Transfer  Railroad, 
was  born  at  London,  England,  March  21,  1852.  After 
receiving  a  common  school  education,  and  spending 
three  years  in  the  employ  of  the  London  and  St. 
Katharine  Dock  Company,  he  embarked  for  the  United 
States  when  twenty  years  of  age. 

In  February,  1873.  the  year  following  his  arrival 
here,  he  received  his  first  experience  in  railroading  in  the 
freight  department  of  the  Chicago  &  Alton  Railroad. 


102 


THE   CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 


He  was  successively  clerk,  general  freight  agent's  secre- 
tary and  chief  clerk  in  the  general  office  of  the  company. 
Mr.  Faithorn  left  his  position  with  the  Chicago 
&  Alton  in  September,  1882,  to  become  auditor  of  the 
Southwestern  Railway  association.  In  May,  1885,  he 
made  another  change,  accepting  the  position  of  com- 
missioner of  the  Western  Freight  Association  and 
Northwestern  Freight  Association. 

From  April  i,  1887,  to  October,  1890,  he  was  suc- 
cessively commissioner  of  the  Western  &  Northwestern 
Railway  Freight  Bureau,  and  chairman  of  the  Western 
Freight  Association.  The  following  two  years,  from 
October,  1890,  to  December,  1892,  he  was  chairman  of 
the  Southwestern  Railway  &  Steamship  Association  and 
commissioner  of  the  Western  Freight  Association  at  St. 
Louis,  Missouri.  From  January  i,  1893,  until  December 
i,  1898,  Mr.  Faithorn  was  vice-president  and  general 
manager  of  Street's  Western  Stable  Car  Company  at 
Chicago.  In  1895  and  1896,  he  was  also  general  mana- 
ger of  the  Wisconsin  &  Michigan  Railway.  In  Decem- 
ber, 1898,  he  was  made  president  and  general  manager 
o'f  the  St.  Louis,  Peoria  &  Northern  Railway.  August 
i,  1889,  he  became  president  and  general  manager  of 
the  Chicago  Terminal  Railroad.  He  still  holds  this 
position. 

Twenty  years  after  Mr.  Faithorn  left  the  employ  of 
the  Chicago  &  Alton  Railway  he  returned  to  the  com- 
pany in  July,  1902,  as  vice-president.  He  held  this  last 
position  until  December,  1904,  along  with  his  present 
position,  as  president  and  general  manager  of  the  Chi- 
cago Terminal  Transfer  Railway. 

Mr.  Faithorn  is  a  member  of  the  Chicago  Club,  the 
Chicago  Athletic  Association  and  the  Engineers'  Club 
of  New  York. 

The   Chicago   &    Eastern    Illinois    Railroad   is   the 

great  coal  road  of  the  West.  How  many  people  among 
the  city's  2,000,000  inhabitants  know  that  it  is  entitled 
to  be  called  "the  road  that  keeps  Chicago  warm"? 

Few,  indeed,  probably,  yet  it  is  a  fact  that  this  line 
with  its  splendidly  ballasted  main  stem  and  branches 
traversing  the  rich  bituminous  mining  sections  of  Illi- 
nois, Indiana  and  Missouri,  brings  into  the  great  city 
by  the  lake  over  five-eighths  of  its  entire  soft  coal  sup- 
ply. Thus,  after  forty  years,  the  original  purpose  in 
building  the  Chicago  &  Eastern  Illinois  Railroad  as  a 
coal-carrying  road  has  never  been  lost  to  sight,  but  has 
steadily  developed  by  wise  management  into  the  busi- 
ness of  to-day — an  ample  vindication  of  the  courage 
and  judgment  of  its  projectors  and  backers  of  more  than 
a  generation  ago. 

But,  remarkable  as  the  growth  of  this  road  has  been 
on  its  freight-carrying  side,  the  progress  made  in  the 


development  of  its  passenger  traffic  is  even  more  note- 
worthy, because  it  has  been  a  growth  of  comparatively 
recent  years,  and  the  obstacles  have  been  more  difficult 
to  overcome.  All  the  more  honor  and  credit  then 
to  the  men  whose  executive  skill  and  trained  ability 
have  produced  these  results.  To-day  the  general  pas- 
senger agent,  from  his  headquarters  in  the  magnificent 
new  $1,000,000  La  Salle  Street  Station,  Chicago,  directs 
a  passenger  service  that  is  growing  by  leaps  and  bounds. 
Since  the  formal  opening  of  the  Chicago  &  Eastern  Illi- 
nois passenger  line  between  Chicago  and  St.  Louis,  July 
31,  1904,  the  public  has  been  quick  to  appreciate  the 
high  standard  of  service  maintained,  and  to  respond  with 
liberal  and  constantly  increasing  patronage. 

The  up-to-date  spirit  of  enterprise  that  permeates 
every  department  of  the  Chicago  &  Eastern  Illinois 
Railroad  is  seen  in  the  advertising  policy  of  the  com- 
pany. A  carefully  thought  out  and  well  systematized 
campaign  of  publicity  is  being  carried  on  under  the 
direction  of  the  general  passenger  agent.  Liberal  news- 
paper space  is  used,  and  the  copy  features  the  special 
points  which  appeal  to  the  average  person  traveling 
either  for  business  or  pleasure.  Emphasis  is  laid  upon 
the  smooth  double-track,  block  signal  system,  ventila- 
tion and  cooling  of  all  cars  by  means  of  electric  fans, 
electric  reading  lights  in  berths,  splendid  dining  car 
service,  etc.  By  this  kind  of  intelligent  advertising,  the 
public  is  favorably  influenced,  and  the  result  is  readily 
seen  in  the  increased  volume  of  business. 

The  Chicago  &  Eastern  Illinois  Railroad  through  its 
affiliations  with  the  Frisco  system  is  now  enjoying 
a  large  and  growing  passenger  traffic  from  Chicago 
through  St.  Louis  to  the  great  Southwest.  It  is  now 
admittedly  the  best  route  to  Galveston,  Houston,  Dallas, 
Fort  Worth,  Oklahoma  City,  and  other  points  in  that 
great  and  prosperous  region. 

This  line  also  reaches  New  Orleans,  running  splen- 
didly equipped  trains  in  connection  with  the  Louis- 
ville &  Nashville,  via  Nashville,  Birmingham,  Mont- 
gomery and  Mobile.  For  several  years  the  Chicago  & 
Eastern  Illinois  Railroad  has  had  a  practical  monopoly 
of  the  Chicago-Florida  travel.  During  the  past  twelve 
months  it  has  controlled  about  90  per  cent  of  the  traffic 
to  Jacksonville,  St.  Augustine,  Tallahassee,  Pensacola 
and  other  Florida  points. 

One  of  the  peculiarly  fortunate  circumstances  that 
have  contributed  to  the  rapid  development  of  travel 
over  this  popular  line,  is  the  location  of  its  general 
offices  and  depot  in  the  La  Salle  Street  Station,  Chi- 
cago. The  location  is  ideal  for  the  convenience  of  the 
road's  patrons,  being  the  only  railroad  station  on  the 
Elevated  Loop  and  within  three  or  four  minutes'  walk 


THE   CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 


105 


several  of  the  divisions  of  the  Pennsylvania  lines.  He 
tilled  the  position  of  superintendent  of  the  Richmond 
and  Louisville  divisions  of  the  Pennsylvania  lines  and 
main  line  division  of  the  Vandalia  system,  and  in  June. 
1901,  was  appointed  general  manager  of  the  Vandalia 
system.  On  December  15.  1903,  he  was  appointed 
general  manager  of  the  Rock  Island  system,  and  on 
March  i,  1905,  was  elected  second  vice-president  and 
general  manager  of  the  Chicago  &  Eastern  Illinois  Rail- 
road, and  vice-president  of  the  Evansville  &  Terre 
Haute  Railroad,  Evansville  &  Indianapolis  Railroad, 
and  Evansville  Belt  Railway. 

His  father  is  John   F.   Miller,  who  was   for  many 
years   identified     with   the    Pennsylvania     Lines   in    an 


November  to  accept  a  position  as  assistant  local  freight 
agent  for  the  Chicago  &  Eastern  Illinois,  which  he  held 
until  January,  1893,  when  he  was  appointed  local  agent. 


HARRY  I.   MILLER. 

official  capacity  and  is  now  vice-president  of  the  Cleve- 
land, Akron  &  Columbus  Railway. 

W.  J.  Jackson,  general  superintendent  of  the  Chi- 
cago &  Eastern  Illinois  at  Chicago,  has  for  twenty- 
eight  years  have  been  in  active  service.  He  was 
born  in  Toronto,  Canada,  December  28,  1859,  the  only 
son  of  John  and  Jane  Jackson. 

In  November,  1877,  as  machinist's  helper,  he  went 
to  work  at  the  Grand  Trunk  railway  shops,  in  his  native 
city.  The  following  year  he  worked  as  a  freight 
handler  and  after  that  as  freight  clerk.  He  came  to 
Chicago  in  1882,  becoming  chief  claim  clerk  for  the 
Grand  Trunk,  and  three  years  later  he  was  promoted 
to  the  position  of  general  freight  foreman.  From 
November.  1890,  to  August,  1891.  he  served  as  assist- 
ant agent  for  the  road.  He  left  the  Grand  Trunk  in 


W.  J.   JACKSON. 

He  became  assistant  general  superintendent  of  the  line 
in  July.  1899,  and  in  February,  1903,  he  became  gen- 
eral superintendent. 

Mr.  Jackson  is  a  man  of  domestic  tastes  and  has 
little  to  do  with  clubs.  He  has  always  been  affiliated 
with  the  Republican  party.  He  was  married  to  Miss 
Eliza  Preston.  They  have  a  family  of  four  children, 
three  daughters,  Anna  May,  Edna  Gracey  and  Emma 
Isabella,  and  a  son,  Arnold. 

The  Chicago  &  Western  Indiana  Railway  extends 
from  Dearborn  Station.  Chicago,  to  Dolton,  with  an 
extension  to  the  Indiana  state  line,  near  Hammond, 
Indiana.  It  is  a  terminal  road  and  has  been  used  for 
over  twenty  years  for  an  entrance  into  Chicago  by  the 
Wabash,  Grand  Trunk,  Monon,  Erie  and  Santa  Fe 
railroads.  These  popular  railway  systems  extend  into 
all  parts  of  the  East  and  West ;  from  Portland,  Maine 
and  New  York  City  in  the  East,  to  Los  Angeles  and 
San  Francisco,  California,  in  the  West. 

Dearborn  Station  on  Polk  street .  is  easily  reached 
from  all  parts  of  the  city  and  is  one  of  the  most  beau- 
tiful and  commodious  stations  in  the  city.  Its  use  by 
eastern,  southern  and  western  roads,  makes  transfer  of 
passengers  from  one  road  to  another  easy  and  con- 
venient. 

The  Belt  Railway  Company  of  Chicago  is  popu- 
larly known  as  the  Inner  Belt  Line,  and  it  enjoys  a 


106 


THE   CITY   OF  CHICAGO. 


large  business  in  the  transfer  of  freight  cars  between  the 
various  railroad  lines,  industries  and  warehouses  in  and 
about  Chicago.  Its  tracks  extend  from  the  Chicago, 
Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  Railway  (Cragin)  to  South  Chi- 
cago and  the  South  Chicago  docks,  connecting  with  all 
railroads  entering  the  city.  Many  large  industries  are 
located  on  the  Belt  Railway.  Among  them  may  be  men- 
tioned the  great  works  of  the  Illinois  Steel  Company 
and  the  International  Harvester  Company,  Deering 
Division,  at  South  Chicago,  the  new  and  extensive  plant 


tively  small  industry  in  proportion  to  its  present  mag- 
nitude, and  from  the  company,  as  it  was  first  established 
for  the  purpose  of  constructing  sleeping  cars  after  the 
pattern  of  Mr.  Pullman's  invention,  it  has  grown  to  a 
corporation  with  a  capital  stock  of  $74,000,000,  and 
facilities  for  building,  not  only  sleeping  cars,  but  pas- 
senger and  freight  cars  of  all  descriptions.  A  few  fig- 
ures regarding  this  great  industry  cannot  fail  to  be  of 
interest.  The  shops  at  Pullman  have  a  capacity  of 
turning  out  an  average  of  six  sleeping  cars,  fifteen  pas- 


POLK  STREET  DEPOT. 


of  the  Western  Electric  Company,  and  Pettibone, 
Mulliken  &  Company,  the  Morden  Frog  &  Crossing 
Works,  International  Salt  Works.  Western  Steel  Car 
Company,  besides  innumerable  elevators,  iron  furnaces, 
coal  and  lumber  yards. 

The  management  is  constantly  receiving  inquiries 
from  and  furnishing  information  to  parties  seeking  suit- 
able sites  for  industrial  plants. 

Pullman's  Palace  Car  Company  was  organized 
under  the  laws  of  the  state  of  Illinois  in  February,  1867, 
by  the  late  George  M.  Pullman,  with  a  capital  of 
$100,000.  As  originally  founded,  it  was  a  compara- 


senger  coaches,  and  400  freight  cars  per  week.  In  the 
shops  about  54,000  tons  of  coal  are  consumed  annually, 
and  over  100,000  tons  of  iron  and  about  56,500,000  feet 
of  lumber  are  used.  The  total  amount  of  wages  paid 
by  the  company  to  its  employees  at  Pullman,  from  Sep- 
tember i,  1880,  to  July  31.  1904.  was  $67,174,361.05, 
and  the  value  of  materials  used  during  the  same  period 
was  $141,213,423.10.  The  number  of  cars  owned  and 
controlled  by  the  company  at  the  close  of  the  fiscal 
year  ending  July  .31,  1904,  was  4,095,  consisting  of 
sleeping,  parlor  and  dining  cars.  The  total  mileage  of 
railways  covered  by  contracts  for  the  operation  of  cars 


THE  CITY   OF  CHICAGO. 


109 


Roosevelt,  Mr.  Bird  believes  in  "a  square  deal  for  every 
man."  And  even-  man  who  comes  under  Mr.  Bird's  eye 
in  the  cause  of  his  professional  duties  gets  "a  square 
deal,"  as  A.  C.  Bird's  personal  record  has  always  been 
''clean  as  a  hound's  tooth" — to  use  another  of  our  Presi- 
dent's expressive  similes. 

All  his  life  Mr.  Bird  has  been  a  worker.     The  gos- 
pel  of  work  has  found   no  more  strenuous  advocate. 


A.   C.   BIRD. 

Mr.  Bird,  nevertheless,  has  always  found  time  to  secure 
the  exercise  necessary  to  keeping  in  good  physical  trim, 
for  preserving  the  "sound  mind  in  the  sound  body." 
So  in  Mr.  Bird's  case,  at  least,  there  is  no  fear  of  the 
sword  wearing  out  the  scabbard.  Unlike  some  rail- 
road magnates  he  never  has  to  spend  long  weeks  at 
continental  spas  to  obtain  a  new  lease  of  health.  Mr. 
Bird  is  now  in  the  prime  of  life  holding  perhaps  the 
most  responsible  position  among  all  the  captains  of 
industry  in  this  busy  city. 

Alexander  f.  Banks,  president  of  the  Elgin,  Joliet 
&  Eastern  Railroad  and  of  the  Chicago,  Lake  Shore 
&  Eastern  Railroad,  has  been  a  railway  man  all  his  life, 
having  begun  his  career  as  office  boy  in  the  contract- 
ing freight  agent's  office  of  the  St.  Louis  &  Southern 
Railway.  He  is  a  young  man,  but  is  as  well  known  in 
railway  circles  as  many  of  his  veteran  colleagues. 

Mr.  Banks  was  born  on  a  farm  in  Crawford  County, 
Indiana,  but  from  his  very  childhood  he  evinced  incli- 
nations for  something  different  from  agricultural  pur- 
suits. Two  years  after  entering  his  duties  as  office 
boy  he  was  promoted  to  contracting  agent  and  was 


one  of  the  youngest  agents  employed  by  the  road.  His 
first  station  as  agent  was  that  at  Evansville,  Indiana. 
After  one  year  he  became  traveling  and  general  agent 
of  the  Continental  Fast  Freight  Lines.  In  that  capacity 
he  served  eight  years.  From  January  i  to  September 
i ,  1 888.  he  was  general  agent  of  the  Iowa  Central  Rail- 
road at  Peoria,  Illinois,  and  became  general  freight  agent 
of  the  same  road  in  September,  1888.  Mr.  Banks' 
steady  rise  continued.  May  i,  the  following  year,  he 
took  the  positions  of  general  freight  and  general  pas- 
senger agents  of  the  Iowa  Central.  In  March,  1890,  he 
was  made  traffic  manager  and  remained  as  such  until 
August,  1893,  when  he  resigned  to  accept  the  postion 
of  traffic  manager  of  the  Elgin,  Joliet  &  Eastern  Rail- 
road. In  May,  1899,  he  was  appointed  traffic  manager 
also  for  the  Chicago,  Lake  Shore  &  Eastern  Railroad. 
In  May,  1901,  he  was  elected  to  his  present  position. 
Mr.  Banks,  although  an  indefatigable  worker  in  his 
office,  is  one  of  the  pillars  of  some  of  the  representa- 
tive clubs  of  Chicago  and  Evanston,  Illinois,  residing 


ALEXANDER   F.    BANKS. 

in  the  latter  place.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Union 
League  Club,  Chicago  Athletic  Association,  Mid- 
Day  Club,  Glen  View  Golf  Club,  the  Country  Club  at 
Evanston  and  the  Evanston  Club. 

John  C.  Fetzer,  prominently  identified  with  real 
estate,  financial  and  public  affairs  of  Chicago,  was  born 
in  Clarion,  Pennsylvania,  June  13  .1865.  When  he  was 
three  years  old  his  parents  moved  to  Ottumwa,  Iowa, 
and  in  that  city  Mr.  Fetzer  spent  his  boyhood  days. 
His  father,  William  H.  Fetzer,  who  was  a  lawyer,  was 


110 


THE   CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 


active  for  twenty  years  in  Republican  political  affairs 
of  Iowa. 

After  graduating  from  the  Otturmva  High  School 
in  1881,  Mr.  Fetzer  went  to  Omaha  as  assistant  to  the 
president  of  a  large  wholesale  implement  concern.  He 
remained  there  until  1895,  when  he  came  to  Chi- 


JOHN  C.   FETZER. 

cago  to  accept  the  position  of  manager  of  the  McCor- 
mick  estate.  As  representative  of  the  estate,  he  was 
largely  instrumental  in  the  organization  of  the  Interna- 
tional Harvester  Company,  of  which  the  McCormick 
and  Deering  companies  were  leading  factors. 

Mr.  Fetzer  also  aided  in  the  organization  of  the 
Jackson  Trust  &  Savings  Bank,  the  First  Mortgage 
&  Bond  Company  and  the  Illinois  Surety  Company. 
He  acted  for  some  time  as  vice-president  of  the  two 
first-named  concerns  and  is  still  a  director  in  the  Illinois 
Surety  Company.  In  1903  Mr.  Fetzer  was  appointed 
a  member  of  the  board  of  education  and  has  served  much 
of  the  time  since  then  as  chairman  of  the  finance  com- 
mittee. In  the  early  part  of  July,  1905,  he  was  elected 
vice-president  of  the  board.  He  is  also  a  director  of  the 
Fort  Dearborn  National  Bank,  the  Protection  Mutual 
Fire  Insurance  Company  and  the  Keystone  Mutual  Fire 
Insurance  Company. 

Besides  being  brought  prominently  before  the  pub- 
lic as  a  member  of  the  school  board,  Mr.  Fetzer  has 
come  to  public  attention  as  managing  receiver  of  the 
Union  Traction  Company.  Judge  Grosscup,  in  whose 
court  the  affairs  of  the  company  have  been  administered 
for  several  years,  appointed  Mr.  Fetzer  to  this  position 
February  15,  1904,  and  he  retained  it  until  his  resigna- 


tion May  15,  1905.  While  he  was  managing  receiver 
more  than  $2,000,000  was  spent  in  rehabilitating  the 
North  and  West  Side  Traction  systems. 

Mr.  Fetzer  resides  at  the  Palmer  House.  As  a  resi- 
dent of  the  First  ward,  and  active  Republican  worker, 
Mr.  Fetzer  has  devoted  much  time  to  elevating  the  tone 
of  politics  in  the  district.  He  is  a  life  member  of  the 
Hamilton  Club,  a  member  of  the  Chicago  Yacht,  Chi- 
cago Athletic,  Hinsdale  and  Hinsdale  Golf  clubs,  and 
also  a  member  of  the  Chicago  Real  Estate  Board. 

Richard  Fitzgerald,  vice-president  and  general 
superintendent  of  the  Chicago  Junction  Railway,  began 
his  career  as  a  telegraph  operator.  Besides  being 
vice-president  and  general  superintendent  of  the  Chi- 
cago Junction  Railway,  he  is  president  of  the  Chicago 
Refrigerator  Car  Company,  and  a  director  in  the  Fort 
Dearborn  National  bank. 

Mr.  Fitzgerald  was  married  in  1881  at  Shannon, 
Illinois,  to  Miss  Gertrude  Newcomer.  They  have  two 
children,  Marie  and  Gertrude.  Mr.  Fitzgerald  is  a 
thirty-second  degree  Mason,  a  Knight  Templar,  member 


RICHARD    FITZGERALD. 

of  the  Washington  Park  Club,  Midlothian  Golf  Club, 
Union  League  and  Chicago  Athletic  clubs.  His  resi- 
dence is  the  Kenwood  hotel.  Mr.  Fitzgerald  is  forty- 
eight  years  of  age. 

Alonzo  Clark  Mather.  As  the  name  Pullman  is  a 
synonym  for  the  sleeping  car,  that  of  Mather  is  indis- 
solubly  associated  with  the  stock  car.  What  Pullman 
did  toward  revolutionizing  the  system  of  travel  for 


THE   CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 


Ill 


men,  Mather's  inventive  genius  and  humane  impulses 
led  him  to  attempt  and  successfully  accomplish  for  the 
amelioration  of  the  condition  during  transit  of  the  dumb 
brute. 

The  Mather  Humane  Stock  Transportation  Com- 
pany, of  which  Mr.  Mather  is  president,  is  the  agency 
through  which  is  carried  out  on  most  of  the  railroads 
of  the  United  States  and  Canada  the  objects  which  the 
inventor  of  the  improved  stock  car  sought  to  accom- 
plish when  in  1881  he  designed  and  built  the  first  sam- 
ple of  the  new  method  of  the  stock  transportation. 

In  that  year  while  on  a  trip  east,  Mr.  Mather  was 
delayed  twelve  hours  through  a  wreck.  Beside  the  car 
occupied  by  him  was  a  train  of  cattle  cars  of  the  type 
then  in  use,  in  which  were  five  dead  steers  and  several 
maimed  and  bleeding  ones.  The  animals  had  met  their 
deaths  or  injuries  through  the  efforts  of  one  large  and 
powerful  animal  to  force  his  way  from  one  end  of  the 
car  to  the  other  in  a  search  for  food  and  water.  It 
occurred  to  Mr.  Mather  that  there  should  be  some  way 
to  transport  cattle  and  avoid  such  conditions,  and  that 
if  an  improved  method  could  be  devised,  it  would  be 
humane,  and  at  the  same  time  save  loss  by  death  and 
shrinkage  in  weight  and  delay  in  reaching  market,  if  a 
system  of  feeding  without  stopping  could  be  designed. 

As  a  result  of  thought  on  these  lines,  Mr.  Mather 
designed  and  sketched  a  car  in  which  stock  could  be 
separated,  fed  and  watered  in  the  car.  Obtaining  a 
patent  on  the  invention,  he  started  out  to  induce  a  rail- 
road to  build  such  a  vehicle.  The  railroads,  however, 
declined  to  invest  the  money  required,  preferring  to 
leave  the  cost  to  be  met  by  individuals.  Mr.  Mather 
expended  a  large  sum  of  money  before  he  succeeded 
in  producing  a  car  after  his  designs  which  would  stand 
the  hard  usage.  Experience  taught  him  also  to  do 
away  with  separate  compartments,  as  the  cattle  rode 
easily  together  as  long  as  movement  in  search  of  food 
was  unnecessary.  When  the  first  improved  car  was 
finally  completed,  a  test  was  made  by  transporting  cattle 
from  the  same  farm  in  the  same  train,  one  lot  in  the  old- 
fashioned  car  and  one  in  the  new  improved  car.  The 
occupants  of  the  former  were  unloaded,  fed  and  watered 
in  the  yards,  while  those  in  the  improved  car  were  fed 
in  the  car  while  it  stood  on  side  tracks.  Careful  tests  as 
to  weights,  live  and  dressed,  after  arrival  in  New  York, 
revealed  astonishing  results,  and  subsequent  tests  made 
for  two  years,  when  the  improved  cars  were  in  practical 
operation,  disclosed  that  the  saving  in  shrinkage  by 
the  use  of  the  improved  method  averaged  twenty 
pounds  per  head,  or  $1.20  per  animal.  This  saving  has 
represented  for  a  period  of  twenty-two  years  the  enor- 
mous sum  of  over  $25,000,000  on  cattle  shipped  from 
Chicago  alone. 

The  history  of  Mr.  Mather's  establishment  of  the 
company  bearing  his  name  and  the  obstacles  which 


had  to  be  overcome  to  insure  the  success  of  the 
improved  method  of  carrying  animals,  is  the  history  of 
most  reforms  and  innovations.  But  the  disappointments 
encountered  and  the  risks  ran  were  to  a  large  extent 
compensated  for  by  the  recognition  of  the  invention 
by  the  contribution  to  him  of  an  elaborate  gold  medal 
by  the  American  Humane  Association  in  1883,  two 
years  after  he  demonstrated  the  feasibility  of  his  inven- 
tion. 

Mr.  Mather  was  born  at  Fairfield,  Herkimer  County, 
New  York,  the  son  of  William  and  Mary  Ann  (Buell) 
Mather,  and  is  a  direct  descendant  of  the  Mathers 
who  occupied  so  distinguished  a  place  in  the  early 


ALONZO    CLARK   MATHER. 

colonial  history  of  New  England,  and  produced  the 
famous  Cotton  Mather,  the  most  remarkable  and  prom- 
inent of  the  name.  The  Mather  family  held  for  three 
generations  so  important  a  position  in  Boston  that  it 
was  said  of  the  men  of  that  name  that  the  snapping 
of  a  finger  of  one  of  them  could  produce  a  revolution. 
Alonzo  Clark  Mather  obtained  his  education  in 
the  Fairfield  Preparatory  School,  an  institution  origi- 
nally founded  by  his  grandfather,  Moses  Mather,  as 
a  medical  college.  His  father,  known  as  one  of  the 
foremost  writers  and  lecturers  of  his  time  on  natural 
sciences  and  chemistry,  was  president  of  the  institution 
for  nearly  a  quarter  of  a  century.  Finishing  his  course 
of  study  at  the  Fairfield  school,  Mr.  Mather  sought 
employment  in  a  mercantile  house  in  Utica,  New  York, 


112 


THE  CITY  OF  CHICAGO. 


which  he  left  a  year  later  at  the  age  of  nineteen  to 
embark  in  business  for  himself  at  Little  Falls,  New 
York.  Ambitious  to  invade  a  larger  field,  he  came 
West  a  year  later  to  Ouincy,  Illinois,  and  thence  to 
Chicago,  where  he  established  himself  in  the  wholesale 
men's  furnishing  business  on  Madison  street,  and  for 
twenty  years  he  was  numbered  among  the  prominent 
and  successful  merchants  of  the  city. 

In  1895.  he  disposed  of  his  mercantile  business  to 
devote  himself  exclusively  to  the  growing  development 
of  the  business  of  building  and  running  his  improved 
stock  cars.  The  personal  and  exclusive  attention  given 
to  the  stock  car  company,  was  justified  in  the  results 
which  followed.  At  present  there  are  from  one  to 
three  trains  dispatched  daily  from  Chicago  to  New 
York  which  carry  practically  no  cars  except  the  Mather 
car.  The  company  owns  large  numbers  of  these  cars 
operated  over  different  roads  in  the  United  States  and 
Canada,  and  an  injured  animal  is  now  rarely  heard  of 
where  formerly  nearly  every  car  reaching  Chicago  con- 
tained dead  or  crippled  cattle. 

Mr.  Mather's  interests  are,  however,  not  confined  to 
the  Mather  stock  car,  but  are  varied.  He  has  for 
many  years  been  identified  with  a  plan  for  developing 
the  current  power  of  the  Niagara  River  at  Buffalo 
under  a  system  original  with  himself  and  he  has  patented 
many  inventions  now  in  general  use,  as  well  as  an  origi- 
nal idea  of  commercially  utilizing  the  great  tidal  and 
wave  power  of  the  ocean,  which  Mr.  Mather  believes, 
are  possibilities  of  the  future. 

He  is  a  member  of  the  Union  League  and  Mar- 
quette  Clubs,  and  an  original  member  of  the  First  Regi- 
ment, Illinois  National  Guard,  his  connection  with  the 
latter  dating  from  the  period  when  it  had  its  armory 
over  a  store  on  Lake  street. 

Thomas  Eugene  Mitten,  president  of  the  Chi- 
cago City  Railway  Company,  is  a  descendant  of  one 
of  the  oldest  families  in  Sussex,  England.  He  is  the  son 
of  George  and  Jane  Mitten,  and  was  born  at  Brighton, 
Sussex,  March  31, 1865.  Therehe  received  his  education. 
He  was  about  fifteen  years  of  age  when  he  emigrated  to 
the  United  States,  remaining  on  a  farm  until  1884,  when 
he  entered  the  service  of  the  Chicago  &  Eastern  Illinois 
Railroad  Company  as  telegraph  operator.  He  suc- 
cessively filled  for  this  and  other  railroads  the  positions 
of  freight  and  ticket  agent,  train  dispatcher,  trainmaster, 
and  adjuster  of  claims,  until  1893,  when  he  accepted 
the  position  of  general  superintendent  of  the  Denver, 
Lakewood  &  Golden  Railroad,  in  Colorado.  One  of 
the  first  moves  of  this  company,  under  his  manage- 
ment, was  the  construction  and  electrically  equipping 
of  its  suburban  lines. 

In  1895  Mr.  Mitten  became  connected  with  the  Mil- 
waukee street  railway,  during  a  period  when  a  most 


bitterly  contested  strike  was  on.  As  a  street  railway 
superintendent,  his  administration  was  eminently  suc- 
cessful, and  his  energy,  firmness  and  tact,  together  with 
his  manner  of  handling  this  strike,  brought  him  into 
prominent  notice,  and  secured  him  the  position  of  gen- 
eral superintendent  of  that  railway  system. 

It  was  during  the  Pan-American  Exposition  at  Buf- 
falo in  1901,  however,  that  Mr.  Mitten  first  had  an 
opportunity  to  display  his  superior  qualifications  as  a 
railroad  manager.  Selected  as  one  who  had  a  record 
of  being  competent  to  handle  large  traffic,  Mr.  Mitten 
was  made  general  superintendent  of  Buffalo's  Allied 
Street  Railway  companies,  and  the  immense  crowds 
which  attended  the  exposition  were  so  satisfactorily 


THOMAS   EUGENE  MITTEN. 

cared  for  as  to  excite  the  admiration  of  the  public  as 
well  as  the  local  New  York  press. 

In  recognition  of  his  executive  ability  and  results 
secured  by  him,  Mr.  Mitten  was  made  general  manager 
of  the  International  Railway  Company  of  Buffalo,  in 
December,  1901,  which  position  he  filled  most  accept- 
ably until  February,  1905,  when  he  resigned  and 
accepted  the  position  of  first  vice-president  and  manag- 
ing director  of  the  Chicago  City  Railway  Company, 
which  position  he  filled  until  July,  1905,  when  he  was 
elected  president  of  that  company. 

Mr.  Mitten  is  one  of  the  best  equipped  railroad  men 
in  the  country.  As  a  general  manager  he  had  few 
equals.  Executive  ability  never  had  a  more  thorough 
exponent  than  is  shown  in  the  make-up  of  Mr.  Mitten, 
who  possesses  the  happy  faculty  of  winning  the  confi- 


THE   CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 


113 


dence  and  respect  of  his  employees,  toward  whom  he 
literally  applies  the  Biblical  injunction  of  "doing  toward 
others  as  he  would  be  done  by."  His  well-established 
reputation  for  absolute  fairness  and  impartiality  in  treat- 
ment of  employes,  has  won  for  him  the  respect,  con- 
fidence and  loyal  support  of  his  subordinates. 

For  a  number  of  years  Mr.  Mitten  has  given  leading 
street  railway  systems  of  the  country  specialized  serv- 
ices of  the  highest  character,  coupled  with  integrity  of 
character,  fertility  in  resources,  the  ability  to  create  and 
carry  out  new  ideas,  admirable  executive  powers,  and 
an  unfailing  gift  of  doing  the  right  thing  at  the  right 
time.  He  is  in  the  prime  of  life,  untiring  in  zeal  and 
energy,  and  unites  in  his  official  administration  all  the 
qualities  of  the  progressive  business  man  and  the  rail- 
roader. Judging  by  his  past  career,  he  is  eminently 
fitted  for  the  hard  and  complex  duties  that  will  be 
i  equired  of  him  as  the  operating  head  of  a  system  having 
to  handle  such  an  immense  traffic  as  is  enjoyed  by  the 
Chicago  City  Railway. 

Mr.  Mitten  is  a  member  of  the  leading  clubs  in 
Chicago,  Buffalo  and  New  York  City,  as  well  as  the 
Lafayette  Lodge,  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  Milwaukee;  a  thirty- 
second  degree  Mason,  and  a  Knight  Templar,  belong- 
ing to  Ivanhoe  Commandery. 

Mason  B.  Starring  has  risen  from  the  position  of 
clerk  to  general  manager  of  the  Chicago  City  Rail- . 
way  Company,  in  a  period  of  fifteen  years.  A  long 
line  of  sturdy  American  ancestors  who  have  participated 
in  the  upbuilding  of  the  Nation  since  its  inception,  com- 
bined with  his  own  ambition  and  concentration  have 
contributed  to  his  success.  Mr.  Starring  was  horn  in 
Chicago,  May  8,  1859.  His  father  was  general  baggage 
agent  of  the  Chicago,  Burlington  &  Quincy  Railway, 
and  invented  the  system  of  checking  baggage  now  in 
vogue  in  this  country.  Among  the  first  settlers  in  the 
New  World  were  members  of  the  Starring  family,  who 
came  from  Holland.  Starrings  fought  in  the  Revolu- 
tion. 

Mr.  Starring  graduated  from  the  old  Central  High 
School,  and  at  the  age  of  eighteen  years  entered  the 
baggage  department  of  the  Chicago,  Burlington  & 
Quincy -Railway.  At  the  age  of  twenty  years  he  had 
become  a  general  officer  of  the  company,  being  made 
head  of  the  baggage  department  to  succeed  his  father. 
Until  1885  Mr.  Starring  continued  in  the  employ  of 
steam  railways,  part  of  the  time  being  general  bag- 
gage agent  of  the  Pennsylvania  Company.  From 
1885  to  1888  he  engaged  in  business  for  himself, 
settling  in  Iowa  as  a  banker  and  grain  dealer.  In  1888 
he  entered  the  office  of  the  president  of  the  Chicago 
City  Railway  Company  as  a  clerk.  He  studied  law  at 


night,  was  admitted  to  the  bar,  and  in  1894  was  made 
assistant  general  counsel  of  the  Chicago  City  Railway, 
under  Julius  S.  Grinnell.  At  the  death  of  Mr.  Grinnell 
in  1898  Mr.  Starring  was  made  acting  general  counsel 
of  the  railway  company.  In  1903  his  title  was  changed 
to  general  solicitor.  Since  May,  1904,  Mr.  Starring 
has  been  a  director  and  general  manager  of  the 
company. 

His  wife  was  Miss  Helen  Swing,  daughter  of  the 
late  Prof.  David  Swing,  perhaps  the  greatest  liberal  and 
independent  preacher  Chicago  ever  knew.  The  Star- 
rings'  elder  son,  who  is  seventeen  years  old,  is  a  name- 
sake of  his  famous  grandfather.  The  younger  son, 
fifteen  years  old,  is  named  after  Mr.  Starring.  The  Star- 


MASON    B.    STARRING. 

rings  live  at  568  East  Division  street  in  the  winter  and 
at  Lake  Geneva,  Wisconsin,  in  the  summer.  Mr.  Star- 
ring is  a  member  of  the  Chicago,  Calumet,  Washington 
Park  and  Lake  Geneva  Country  clubs.  He  is  one  of 
the  convention  committee  of  the  Chicago  Commercial 
Association,  and  a  member  of  the  Sons  of  the  American 
Revolution. 

Dwight  Foster  Cameron's  career  admirably  illus- 
trates the  opportunity  for  success  the  poor  country  boy 
has  in  this  country.  He  left  his  father's  farm  in  New 
York  state  in  the  fifties  and  settled  in  Illinois  with  $40 
as  his  worldy  possessions,  but  endowed  with  determi- 
nation and  ambition  inherited  from  a  long  line  of 
Scottish  ancestors.  To-day  he  is  president  of  the  South 
Chicago  City  Railway  Company  and  the  Hammond 
Whiting  &  Fast  Chicago  City  Electric  Railway  Com- 


114 


THE   CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 


pany,  and  a  very  capable  and  successful  lawyer,  although 
not  now  in  active  practice. 

Until  he  was  sixteen  years  old  Mr.  Cameron 
remained  on  his  father's  farm  in  Madison  County,  New 
York,  near  the  village  of  Peterboro,  where  he  was  born 
July  28,  1834.  He  was  a  big,  active  boy  and  when  he 
was  sixteen  years  old  did  the  work  of  a  full-grown  man. 
His  schooling  was  limited  to  the  winter  terms  in  the 
district  school,  until  he  was  sixteen  years  old,  when  he 
began  a  course  at  Peterboro  Academy.  He  remained 
here  four  years,  paying  his  way  with  money  he  earned 
himself.  After  young  Cameron  was  eighteen  years  old 
he  taught  school  in  the  winter  to  make  his  expenses. 

At  the  age  of  twenty,  completing  his  course  at  the 
academy,  he  left  home  and  started  out  for  the  West  as 


DWIGHT    FOSTER    CAMERON. 

the  pioneer  of  the  family,  all  of  the  members  of  which 
later  followed  him.  He  reached  Ottawa,  Illinois,  and 
determined  to  settle  there.  After  a  few  months'  work 
in  a  bank  he  began  to  study  law  in  the  office  of  Glover 
&  Cook.  Young  Cameron  began  to  practice  law 
before  the  justices  when  he  had  been  in  the  law  office  a 
month.  In  1858  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar.  General 
W.  H.  L.  Wallace,  Oliver  C.  Gray  and  Washington 
Bushnell  examined  him,  and  the  late  George  C.  Camp- 
bell, who  afterwards  became  a  well-known  corporation 
lawyer. 

Mr.  Cameron  was  a  successful  lawyer  from  the  start. 
He  had  no  connections  except  those  of  his  own  making, 
but  hardly  any  time  elapsed  before  he  had  a  good  and 
paying  practice.  When  he  was  thirty  years  old  he 
became  the  attorney  and  a  director  of  the  Ottawa. 


Oswego  &  Fox  River  Valley  Railroad,  and  took  part 
in  promoting  and  building  its  line,  which  started  at 
Streator  and  ran  to  Geneva.  It  was  planned  to  compete 
with  other  roads  for  the  traffic  of  the  towns  in  the  Fox 
River  valley,  and  it  finally  developed  into  the  Chicago, 
Burlington  &  Quincy  Railroad.  He  served  as  attorney 
and  director  of  this  road  from  1864  to  1870,  and  during 
this  time  he  did  all  the  law  business  of  the  company  and 
tried  all  its  suits,  being  assisted  in  only  two  of  them. 
Its  condemnation  suits  were  under  a  constitutional 
provision,  new  at  that  time,  which  presented  some  diffi- 
cult problems. 

He  was  married  in  1858,  the  year  he  was  admitted 
to  the  bar,  to  Fanny  E.  Norris,  daughter  of  George  H. 
Norris,  a  banker  of  Ottawa.  Their  children  are  Captain 
George  H.  Cameron,  Fourth  United  States  Cavalry, 
Mrs.  Williston  Fish,  wife  of  Mr.  Williston  Fish  of  the 
Union  Traction  Company  of  Chicago,  and  the  Rev. 
Dwight  F.  Cameron,  Jr.,  of  Miami,  Florida. 

In  1870  Mr.  Cameron  came  to  Chicago,  where  he  has 
since  been  actively  engaged  in  business.  In  1892,  in 
connection  with  the  late  Columbus  R.  Cummings,  he 
built  the  South  Chicago  City  Railway,  and  thereafter 
developed  the  Hammond,  Whiting  &  East  Chicago 
Electric  Railway  in  connection  with  it. 

The    Chicago   &   Milwaukee    Electric   Railroad,   as 

shown  on  the  map  on  the  following  page,  connects 
twenty-two  cities  and  towns,  having  a  population  of 
1 50,000,  with  Chicago,  a  city  of  over  2,000,000. 

The  territory  through  which  this  road  operates  and 
the  character  of  construction  are  considered  by  compe- 
tent judges  to  be  the  best  in  America. 

The  original  line  was  built  in  1895  and  1896  from 
North  Chicago  to  Waukegan,  and  was  known  as  The 
Bluff  City  Electric  Street  Railway  Company.  In  1898 
the  line  was  extended  south  to  Highland  Park  and  the 
name  changed  to  The  Chicago  &  Milwaukee  Electric 
Railroad  Company.  It  met  with  such  favor  that  the 
next  year  the  connection  was  made  south  to  Evanston 
and  through  business  was  established  on  August  10, 
1899. 

In  1902  the  extension  from  Lake  Bluff  to  Liberty- 
ville  was  completed,  and  two  years  later  was  extended 
west  to  Rockefeller.  Early  in  1905  the  extension  north 
of  Waukegan  was  begun,  and  formal  opening  of  the  line 
to  Zion  City  taking  place  August  26.  Work  on  the 
extension  further  north  is  being  continued  and  in  the 
fall  of  this  year  (1905)  will  be  completed  to  Kenosha. 

Among  the  towns  reached  by  the  road  now  are: 
Evanston,  Llewellyn  Park,  Wilmette,  Kenilworth,  Win- 
netka,  Lakeside,  Glencoe,  Ravinia  Park,  Highland  Park, 
Fort  Sheridan,  Lake  Forest,  Lake  Bluff.  Waukegan, 
Libertyville  and  Rockefeller.  It  will  soon  be  possible 
to  take  a  continuous  ride  by  trolley  from  Chicago  to 


THE   CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 


115 


Milwaukee.  The  fare  is  low  and  the  trip  cool  and  com- 
fortable in  summer  and  warm  in  winter.  The  cars  of  the 
electric  road  being  of  the  latest  pattern  and  having  all 
the  modern  equipment,  they  run  with  the  smoothness 
and  ease  of  a  Pullman  coach.  This  excellent  service  has 
done  much  to  develop  prosperous  suburban  towns  and 
magnificent  summer  homes,  and  country  clubs  and  rec- 
reation grounds  located  in  this  section.  On  stretches 
of  the  road  a  speed  of  fifty  miles  an  hour  is  maintained. 
Among  the  exclusive  country  clubs  which  have  their 
grounds  along  the  line  of  The  Chicago  &  Milwaukee 


MILWAUKEE 


CT^        LAKE  FOREST 
ROCKEFELLER     FORT  SHERIDAN 

HIGHWOOD 
HIGHLAND  PARK 
RAVIN  I A 
OLENCOE 
LAKESIDE 
.WINNETKA 
KENILWORTH 
'  .   W1LMETTE 

EVANSTON 


RACINE 


KENOSHA 

WINTHROP  HARBOR 

CAMP  LOGAN 

Z10NCITY 

BEACH 

V  WAD KEG AN 

O(f    NO.CHICAGO 


CHICAGO 


Electric  Railroad  are  the  Evanston  Golf  Club,  Glenview 
Golf  Club,  Kenilworth  Country  Club,  Wilmette  Country 
Club,  Skokie  Country  Club,  Exmoor  Country  Club, 
Onwentsia  Club  and  Waukegan  Country  Club. 

The  United  States  Government  has  appropriated 
$300,000  as  a  beginning  of  a  naval  station  to  be  located 
at  Lake  Bluff.  The  site  for  the  training  station  com- 
prises 350  acres,  and  when  completed  the  Government 
will  have  expended  at  least  $2,000,000  on  the  buildings 
and  improvements  contemplated. 

Fort  Sheridan  has  always  been  one  of  the  attractive 
features  along  the  North  Shore,  being  one  of  the  finest 


military  posts  in  the  country.  Tt  offers  attractions  to 
visitors  at  all  times ;  daily  drills  in  the  morning  and 
band  concerts  in  the  afternoon  attract  large  crowds. 
Picnic  parties  are  allowed  on  certain  parts  of  the  reser- 
vation, which  accommodates  a  complete  infantry  regi- 
ment, four  batteries  of  artillery  and  four  cavalry  troops. 

The  Chicago  &  Milwaukee  Electric  Railroad  makes 
a  specialty  of  providing  cars  for  picnic  parties  during 
the  summer.  Many  take  advantage  of  these  oppor- 
tunities to  visit  the  beautiful  groves  and  woodland  dells 
along  its  route.  The  city  transportation  lines  connect 
with  the  electric  road  at  Church  street  in  Evanston. 

The  general  offices  of  The  Chicago  &  Milwaukee 
Electric  Railroad  Company  are  at  108  La  Salle  street. 
The  officers  are  A.  C.  Frost,  president;  H.  S.  Oakley, 
vice-president;  George  M.  Seward,  secretary  and  treas- 
urer. The  directors  are :  A.  C.  Frost,  George  M.  Sew- 
ard, H.  S.  Oakley,  Joseph  E.  Otis,  all  of  Chicago, 
and  H.  C.  Osborne  of  Toronto,  Canada.  The  oper- 
ating offices  and  power  plant  are  located  at  High- 
wood.  Ever  since  the  road  was  started  the  roadbed, 
overhead  construction,  power  plant,  sub-stations  and 
equipment  have  all  been  maintained  in  a  high  state 
of  efficiency.  During  1904  and  1905  the  power  plant 
was  enlarged  to  more  than  double  its  former  capacity. 
It  is  the  ultimate  plan  of  the  road  to  have  its  right- 
of-way  entirely  confined  to  its  own  property.  So 
rapidly  is  the  country  building  up  along  the  line  that 
every  effort  is  being  made  to  secure  the  private  right-of- 
way  before  the  value  of  the  property  will  make  such  a 
plan  prohibitive  by  reason  of  the  extensive  improve- 
ments going  in  all  along  the  line.  Over  a  million  dol- 
lars has  already  been  spent  by  the  company  for  its 
private  right-of-way,  which,  in  time,  is  to  be  a  four- 
track  system.  All  the  improvements  that  are  being  put 
in  along  the  line  are  of  the  most  permanent  and  sub- 
stantial character. 

The  rapid  growth  of  the  company  is  best  shown  by 
the  steady  increase  in  the  net  earnings  for  the  past  five 
years.  The  net  earnings  for  1900  were  $81,169;  for 
1901,  $97,156;  for  1902,  $110,746;  for  1903,  $193,619; 
and  for  1904,  $285,617,  this  being  an  increase  of  250 
percent  in  five  years.  The  traffic  during  1905  has  been 
steadily  on  the  increase  and  the  earnings  will  undoubt- 
edly go  well  over  the  $300,000  mark. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


B 

A 

N 

K 

S 

o 

F 

C 

H 

I  C 

A 

GO. 

URING  the  first  century  of  its  exist- 
ence Chicago  has  grown  from  a  fron- 
tier trading  post,  where  the  mediums 
of  exchange  were  pelts  and  powder 
and  ball,  to  the  second  financial  cen- 
ter of  the  United  States.  To-day  its 
banking  institutions  are  exceeded 
only  by  New  York  in  capital  in- 
vested, resources,  deposits  and  clear- 
ings. But  three  cities  in  all  the  world 
:ke  financial  rank  ahead  of  Chicago — New 
k,  London  and  Paris.  New  York  was 
nearly  two  centuries  old  before  Chicago  became  dis- 
tinguishable 111)011  the  map  of  the  United  States,  while 
London  and  Paris  had  become  centers  of  population 
over  a  thousand  years  before. 

The  greatest  growth  of  Chicago's  financial  interests 
has  taken  place  in  the  last  forty  years.  When  the  Chi- 
cago clearing  house  was  organized  in  1865  its  business 
hardly  exceeded  $400,000,000  a  year.  It  is  now  over 
$9,000,000,000,  an  increase  of  over  2,100  per  cent.  In 
the  tremendous  growth  and  development  that  followed 
after  the  great  fire  the  banks  of  Chicago  led.  Chicago's 
clearing  house  was  organized  in  1865,  but  its  records 
for  the  local  banks  date  back  only  to  1873.  For  that 
year  the  thirty  national,  state  and  private  banks  had  a 
capital  of  $i  1,940,700.  On  May  31,  1905,  the  forty-nine 
national  and  state  banking  institutions  of  Chicago  were 
capitalized  for  $48,350,000,  an  increase  in  thirty-three 
years  of  $36,409,300.  The  surplus  and  profits  of  all  the 
banking  institutions  of  the  city  in  1873  were  $4,222,010. 
For  May,  1905,  they  were  more  than  nine  times  as  great, 
reaching  the  immense  total  of  $38,273,341.  In  the 
same  year  after  the  fire  the  banks  loaned  $36,951,998. 
They  now  carry  over  tenfold  that  amount,  the  loans  in 
May  of  this  year  aggregating  $403,673,162.  But  in  no 
way  is  the  wealth  and  progress  of  the  city  so  emphatic- 
ally indicated  as  in  the  increase  in  deposits  in  the  banks 


since  the  fire.  The  first  clearing  house  statistics  give 
the  total  bank  deposits  for  Chicago  at  $40,600,522. 
They  now  total  $634,935,642. 

The  first  step  in  Chicago's  financial  history  was 
taken  when  the  Indian  traders  adopted  a  rude  banking 
system  by  issuing  a  kind  of  currency  in  the  nature  of 
written  promises  to  pay  for  the  pelts  the  Indians  brought 
to  the  fort.  Every  scrap  of  that  paper  was  redeemed 
and  passed  current  at  its  face  value. 

To  Gurdon  S.  Hubbard  may  be  given  the  credit  of 
being  Chicago's  first  banker,  and  he  lived  to  see  the 
trading  post  lying  under  the  protecting  stockade  of 
Fort  Dearborn,  grow  to  a  city  of  a  million  souls.  He 
had  funds  on  deposit  at  Buffalo,  and  his  bills  of  exchange 
were  always  honored.  He  was  able  to  do  his  neighbors 
an  important  neighborly  service  by  selling  them  Buffalo 
exchange,  and  in  those  days  Buffalo  was  the  metropolis 
of  the  Middle  West,  to  use  a  modem  term.  All 
through  the  East  such  bills  were  acceptable  money 
remittances.  The  first  bank  in  Illinois,  called  the  Bank 
of  Illinois,  was  located  at  Shawneetown,  which,  for  all 
practical  purposes,  was  about  as  far  from  Chicago  as 
Manila  is  to-day.  Its  charter  was  granted  two  years 
before  the  state  was  admitted  into  the  Union.  It  was 
renewed  by  the  state  legislature,  the  state  itself  becom- 
ing a  partner  in  the  business.  That  institution  failed, 
involving  considerable  loss  to  the  state.  Branches  were 
established,  but  Chicago  was  too  small  to  have  even 
a  branch  until  late  in  the  year  1835,  when  the  Chicago 
Branch  of  the  Illinois  State  Bank  was  announced. 
That  was  the  first  real  banking  house  in  the  history 
of  the  city.  It  was  located  at  the  corner  of  La  Salle  and 
South  Water  streets.  W.  H.  Brown,  whose  name  is  fitly 
borne  by  one  of  the  public  schools  of  the  city,  he  being 
eminent  in  the  promotion  of  our  educational  sys- 
tem, was  the  practical  head  of  the  bank,  having  the 
title  of  cashier.  The  deposits  for  the  first  three  months 
averaged  about  seven  hundred  dollars  a  day.  It  flour- 


110 


THE   CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 


117 


islied  until  the  spring  of  1837,  when  the  great  crash 
which  came  to  the  whole  country  brought  distress.  The 
state  undertook  to  rescue  the  bank  by  plunging  into  a 
grand  system  of  internal  improvements,  but  the  inevit- 
able bankruptcy  came  to  a  head  in  1843,  ar>d  the  Chicago 
branch  went  out  of  existence  finally  in  1843.  Even 
before  this  it  had  been  reduced  to  an  agency,  the  branch 
proper  being  removed  to  Lockport.  The  actual  cur- 
rency of  the  period  from  1837  to  1843  was  largely  made 
up  of  city  and  private  scrip,  with  a  very  considerable 


ago.  He  belonged  to  Milwaukee  almost  as  much  as 
Chicago,  for  his  banking  career  really  began  with  secur- 
ing from  the  legislature  of  Wisconsin  in  1839  a  charter 
for  the  Wisconsin  Marine  &  Fire  Insurance  Company, 
authorized  to  receive  deposits  and  issue  "certificates" 
to  the  sum  of  $1,500.000.  That  institution  had  its 
headquarters  at  Milwaukee,  but  Mr.  Smith  resided  in 
Chicago,  where  he  conducted  a  private  bank  under  the 
name  of  George  Smith  &  Co.  For  twenty-one  years  he 
was  the  leading  banker  of  the  West,  and  the  certificates 


GARFIELD  PARK  GREENHOUSE— INTERIOR. 


infusion  of  bank  notes  issued  under  the  banking  laws 
of  other  states. 

The  first  really  great  banker  of  Chicago  was  George 
Smith,  a  preeminently  "canny"  Scotchman,  a  man  of 
remarkable  business  ability  and  unimpeachable  integ- 
rity. Not  a  dollar  of  the  millions  of  paper  bearing  the 
signature  of  "Geo.  Smith"  ever  failed  to  be  redeemed 
on  demand.  No  run  ever  broke  him.  His  system  was 
fiercely  assailed  as  illegal,  but  it  had  no  taint  of  dishon- 
esty. Private  banking,  as  conducted  by  him  in  Chicago 
for  twenty  years,  while  it  yielded  him  a  great  fortune, 
was  of  incalculable  benefit  to  Chicago  and  the  region 
round  about. 

It  was  in  the  spring  of  1834  that  Mr.  Smith  reached 
Chicago  to  seek  his  fortune.  He  found  it  and  returned 
to  London  to  enjoy  it  in  1860,  where  he  died  a  few  years 


which  bore  his  name  were  always  redeemed  on  demand. 
It  was  a  great  thing  for  Chicago  banking  to  have  its 
foundations  laid  by  so  sound  and  sagacious  a  banker. 

Many  of  the  banks,  private  and  chartered,  which 
were  doing  business  here  when  the  crash  of  1857  came, 
went  down  with  the  general  crash.  Others  went  out  vol- 
untarily and  still  others  reorganized  under  the  national 
bank  act.  J.  M.  Adsit.  who  began  as  a  private  banker 
in  1846.  continued  the  business  thirty  years  and  then 
retired,  the  last  of  the  private  bankers  who  survived  the 
storm  of  1857.  Of  the  banks  then  doing  business  under 
state  charters  all  are  gone  and  have  been  for  many  years, 
except  the  Merchants'  Loan  &  Trust  Bank,  which 
declined  to  go  into  the  national  system,  and  has  always 
been  one  of  the  great  banks  of  the  city.  During  the 
period  of  "wild-cat"  banking  Chicago  made,  as  a  whole, 


118 


THE  CITY   OF  CHICAGO. 


a  good  banking  record.  Besides  the  bankers  named 
honorable  mention  should  be  made  of  J.  Young  Scam- 
mon,  J.  H.  Burch,  E.  J.  Tiukham,  R.  K.  Swift,  H.  A. 
Tucker  and  Solomon  A.  Smith. 

The  national  bank  act  dates  from  March  25,  1863. 
Ft  found  Chicago,  in  common  with  the  country  gener- 
ally, in  woeful  need  of  a  larger  and,  above  all,  a  better 
medium  of  exchange.  The  legal  tender  notes  of  the 
government  were  utterly  inadequate  to  the  currency 
needs  of  trade.  The  country  had  fully  recovered  from 
the  depression  which  began  almost  simultaneously  with 
the  year  1857,  ancl  was  rendered  more  pronounced  dur- 
ing the  early  period  of  the  war.  Many  of  the  banks 
whose  bills  circulated  largely  here  when  the  Civil  War 
began  were  located  in  the  South.  Those  which  con- 
tinued to  do  business  suspended  specie  payments.  It 
is  not  too  much  to  say  that  the  national  bank  system 
was  born  of  necessity.  The  government  needed  the 
money,  which  would  have  to  be  paid  for  its  bonds,  to 
serve  as  a  base  of  circulation,  and  the  people  needed 
the  bills  for  use  as  a  sound  medium  of  exchange.  Still 
for  more  than  a  year  the  change  from  state  bank  notes 
to  a  national  bank  currency  went  on  slowly.  Finally, 
patience  exhausted,  the  Chicago  Board  of  Trade 
announced,  in  a  notice  signed  by  all  the  leading  mem- 
bers of  that  body,  and  dated  May  9,  1864,  "that  on  and 
after  the  I5th  inst.  the  base  of  transactions,  either  buy- 
ing or  selling,  should  be  legal  tender  notes  or  the;r 
equivalent."  Three  days  later  the  bankers  of  the  city 
announced  that  "on  and  after  Monday,  May  16,  1864, 
we  will  receive  on  deposit  at  par,  and  pay  out  at  par 
only,  legal  tender  notes,  national  bank  notes  and  the 
notes  of  such  other  banks  as  redeem  at  par  in  the  city 
of  Chicago."  That  ended  the  era  of  wild-cat  money 
in  this  city.  The  national  bank  system  received  a  veri- 
table boom.  By  the  close  of  1864  Chicago  had  seven 
national  banks — namely,  the  First,  Second,  Third, 
Fourth,  Fifth,  Mechanics'  and  Northwestern.  Of  these 
only  three  survive,  the  First,  Northwestern  and  Fifth, 
the  latter  under  a  change  of  name.  An  eighth,  the 
Manufacturers',  long  since  defunct,  was  organized  about 
that  time.  One  of  the  newspapers  of  the  period 
remarked  at  that  time :  "One  million  of  dollars  a  day 
goes  into  the  country  from  Chicago  to  the  producers. 
Well  may  the  bankers  rejoice  that  the  days  of  rag  money 
are  over." 

On  those  days,  and  for  many  years  after,  there  was 
profit  in  the  national  bank  circulation,  and  it  was  issued 
as  the  needs  of  business  required,  but  of  late  years 
the  policy  of  our  banks  has  been  to  put  in  circulation 
only  the  minimum  amount  of  their  own  notes.  Bonds 
are  so  high  and  the  rate  of  interest  so  low  that  there  is 
no  profit  in  it. 

The  adoption  of  the  national  bank  system  caused  a 
few  bank  failures,  but  from  the  close  of  1864  to  the 
great  fire  of  October  9.  1871,  the  banking  business  of 


Chicago  went  on  prosperously.  The  seven  national 
banks  had  become  seventeen,  and  there  were  also  ten 
private  banking  institutions.  The  national  bank  cap- 
ital at  that  time  was  $6,800,000,  not  including  the 
undivided  surplus,  amounting  to  $2,715,000.  The  total 
bank  capital  of  the  city  was  $12,250,000. 

In  this  connection  should  be  given  a  memorable, 
but  little  remembered,  episode.  While  yet  the  ruins  of 
the  smoking  city  were  hot  and  no  bank  vaults  were 
opened,  the  bankers  of  the  city  held  a  conference.  The 
question  was,  How  shall  we  open  and  what  per  cent  of 
deposits  shall  be  paid  on  demand?  A  committee  was 
appointed.  No  one  on  that  committee  dreamed  of  pay- 
ing dollar  for  dollar.  Some  said  15  per  cent,  others 
25  per  cent  and  still  others  a  little  more.  It  looked  as 
if  the  25  per  cent  plan  would  be  adopted  as  a  compro- 
mise. Suddenly,  but  in  a  very  quiet  way,  the  president 
of  the  Merchants'  National  Bank,  Chauncey  B.  Blair, 
remarked,  without  rising  from  his  chair:  "Gentlemen, 
I  always  like  to  agree  with  my  brother  bankers,  and  in 
ordinary  matters  would  yield  to  the  majority,  but  when 
it  comes  to  paying  my  debts  or  the  debts  of  my  bank  I 
have  only  this  to  say,  I  have  always  paid  in  full  and 
always  shall  if  I  can.  Perhaps  I  shall  not  be  able  to 
pay  even  25  per  cent.  The  vault  is  still  closed.  It  may 
contain  only  ashes,  but  I  shall  do  the  best  I  can  to  meet 
all  the  demands  of  my  depositors."  That  was  a  thunder- 
bolt. It  created  consternation.  An  adjournment  was 
had  without  action,  in  the  hope  of  convincing  Mr. 
Blair  that  the  banks  ought  to  stand  together. 

The  next  day  the  comptroller  of  the  currency  put 
in  an  appearance,  and  without  knowing  what  Mr.  Blair 
had  said  notified  the  national  banks  that  they  must  pay 
in  full,  or  he  would  not  let  them  open  at  all.  He  was 
inexorable.  When  the  country  correspondents  and  local 
depositors  found  that  this  decree  had  been  issued  they 
were  greatly  relieved,  and  when  the  banks  did  open 
there  was  no  run  on  them.  The  vaults  all  stood  the 
fire  test,  and  in  a  very  short  time  the  deposits  were 
larger  than  ever. 

The  stringency  which  began  in  the  fall  of  1873  grad- 
ually developed  until  it  \veeded  out  several  national 
banks,  without,  however,  weakening  the  system ;  but  the 
failure  of  the  State  Savings  Institution,  the  leading  sav- 
ings bank  of  the  city,  which  occurred  in  1877,  and  of 
some  minor  banks,  produced  a  far-reaching  effect.  It 
seemed  as  if  the  very  foundations  of  Chicago's  confi- 
dence in  savings  banks  were  shaken  and  overthrown. 
For  years  this  branch  of  banking  was  depressed.  The 
recovery  from  the  shock  was  slow.  It  was  not  until  the 
state  adopted  a  policy  of  supervision  of  all  banks  doing 
business  on  state  charters  that  confidence  was  regained. 

When  the  bank  panic  of  1893  swept  over  the  coun- 
try it  toppled  over  a  few  weak  banks,  but  it  did  not  work 
anything  like  a  general  havoc.  The  Chicago  clearing 
house  showed  most  excellent  coolness.  The  storm  was 


THE   CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 
CONDITION   OF  CHICAGO   BANKS  JUNE    13,  1873. 


119 


Capital. 

Surplus. 

Undivided 
Profits. 

Loans  and 
Discounts. 

Cash  and 
Checks. 

Deposits. 

Kirst  National  $1,000,000 

$400000 

$154  339 

$3  018  199 

$1  U3  763 

$3  731  059 

Second  National  10(1,000 

50,000 

20,396 

624,448 

254  697 

970  581 

Third  National  750,000 

200000 

107  004 

2  753  796 

1  223  5  1  1 

3  91°  664 

Fourth  National  200.000 

10,000 

14,451 

400,735 

175  548 

425  491 

Fifth  National  .500,000 

100,000 

56739 

1  193  053 

239  781 

1  157  921 

Merchants  National  500,000 

400,000 

10.180 

1,702,631 

429  703 

1  604  116 

Northwestern  National  500,000 

500.000 

49  379 

1  400  031 

429  438 

1  016  411 

Manufacturers  National  500.000 

100,000 

7,249 

I,:i36,732 

451.423 

1  482  598 

Mechanics  National  250.000 

50,000 

99,285 

882669 

229  340 

928  549 

Commercial  National  500,000 

200,000 

59,634 

1.450,764 

59K373 

1,632,836 

Tnion  National  1,000,000 

200,000 

101,975 

3,567  525 

1  769741 

5  351  032 

City  National  250,000 

110.000 

3295 

955  317 

'55  421 

367  774 

Merchants  Savings  Loan  and  Trust  1,500,000 

100,000 

581.463 

3,509581 

225  959 

1  721  130 

Corn  Exchange   National  500,000 
National  Hank  of  Commerce  250,000 

50,000 
11,000 

34,459 
11,796 

1,349,603 
612  544 

379.801 
230.215 

1,444,429 
767  653 

Traders  National  ...                            200,000 

4(1,000 

21,896 

478.889 

332.893 

669,045 

I'reston  Kean  &  Co  100,000 

28,325 

683,297 

226.405 

1,187,235 

Hibernian   Hanking  Association          111.000 

81  221 

621  337 

25971 

755  954 

Cook  County  National  500,000 

10,000 

34,633 

1,164,761 

438,122 

1,460,151 

.1.  M.  Adsit  90,000 

1.528 

130  817 

60  990 

150805 

Central  National..                                                                                                            200,000 

8  679 

225  202 

98  100 

187  398 

National  Bank  of  Illinois  500,000 

10.000 

26  432 

929  245 

249  872 

847877 

Prairie  State  Loan  and  Trust  150.  (*x> 

7.500 

33,723 

591,385 

38,236 

813,858 

German  National  500,000 

100,000 

19,281 

1,205,953 

418,860 

1,215,881 

Hank  of  Montreal                                                                                                              100,000 

21  221 

1  449  970 

85  006 

241  903 

Franklin  Hank  ..                                                                                           100,000 

3449 

331  952 

45981 

313,326 

International  Hank  200.000 

118,793 

6,306 

495,718 

106,288 

351,156 

Hide  and   Leather  259,700 

1,818 

4,539 

385,920 

94,784 

232.805 

Union  Trust  125,000 

33,060 

16,283 

449,807 

91,282 

614,100 

State  Savings  Institution  500.000 

1(1  (VI9 

3050045 

412,327 

4  445,770 

Totals  ...                           $11940700 

severe,  but  not  desolating.  There  was  an  admirable 
spirit  of  mutual  helpfulness  shown  all  through  the  try- 
ing ordeal.  While  some  weak  banks  were  obliged  to 
go  out  of  business,  that  panic  had  at  least  one  good 
effect  in  Chicago.  It  is  hardly  too  much  to  say  that  it 
put  an  end  to  private  banking.  Individuals  and  partner- 
ships doing  a  banking  business  felt  constrained  by  the 
pressure  of  self-preservation  to  organize  under  the  state 
banking  act,  thus  sharing  in  the  strengthened  public 
confidence  which  results  from  state  inspection. 

In  the  years  from  1890  to  1899  Chicago  banks  passed 
through  trying  days  to  end  in  a  period  of  great  pros- 
perity. In  that  time  Chicago  emerged  from  the  pro- 
vincial in  banking  to  the  metropolitan,  and  became  the 
depository  of  funds  for  large  notation  enterprises.  In 
this  latter  particular,  however,  it  must  be  said  that  the 
Illinois  Trust  and  Savings  Bank  stood  as  the  particular 
representative. 

The  first  instance  in  which  the  banks  of  Chicago 
acted  as  a  depository  of  trust  funds  in  the  matter  of 
company  promotions  was  at  the  time  of  the  floating  of 
the  Glucose  Sugar  Refining  Company,  with  a  capital  of 
$40,000,000.  In  this  promotion  the  principal  state  bank 
mentioned  received  jointly  with  a  New  York  institu- 
tion the  underwriting  deposits.  Next  followed  the 
National  Biscuit  Company,  with  a  capital  of  $55,000.- 
ooo,  the  principal  floating  of  which  was  done  in  Chi- 
ago.  Then  during  the  active  promotion  year  of  1898 
Chicago  acted  either  in  whole  or  in  part  as  trustee  for 
enterprises  floated  with  a  total  capital  amounting  to 
$304,000,000. 

These  flotations  included  some  of  the  most  widely 
known  trusts  in  the  country.  Among  them,  in  addition 
to  the  Glucose  Sugar  Refining  and  National  Biscuit 


companies,  were  the  American  Steel  &  Wire  Company, 
the  American  Tin  Plate  Company,  the  National  Steel 
Company,  the  National  Carbon  Company,  the  Chicago 
Union  Traction  Company  and  the  American  Linseed 
Company. 

In  addition  to  furnishing  a  good  portion  of  the  cap- 
ital for  these  enterprises,  Chicago,  through  its  banks, 
became  a  large  lender  of  money,  not  only  in  New  York 
but  in  London  and  Berlin.  When,  in  1898.  money  was 
stringent  in  Germany  and  the  bank  rate  was  advanced 
to  6  per  cent,  Chicago  banks  carried  credits  of  per- 
haps $10,000,000  in  the  German  capital. 

In  1899,  when  through  the  fluctuations  of  the  New- 
York  stock  market  and  the  heavy  transactions  on 
that  exchange,  money  advanced  rapidly,  Chicago  was 
accustomed  to  loan  daily  from  $2,000,000  to  $8,000,000 
on  call,  an  experience  which  five  years  previous  had  been 
unknown. 

An  evidence  of  the  esteem  in  which  Chicago  banks 
were  held  by  other  Western  institutions  was  afforded  in 
the  period  of  the  Spanish-American  war  in  1898.  when 
there  was  a  general  disposition  to  withdraw  deposits  and 
strengthen  reserves.  Between  February  12,  1898,  and 
April  30,  1898,  the  deposits  of  the  New  York  associated 
banks  showed  a  decrease  of  $80,180,500.  The  with- 
drawals began  immediately  after  the  explosion  of  the 
Maine,  February  15,  1898,  and  ended  with  the  battle 
of  Manila,  May  i,  1898.  New  York  bank  deposits  in 
that  time  decreased  for  $738,683,800  to  $658.503,300. 

While  country  institutions  were  drawing  their  depos- 
its from  New  York  banks  they  were  increasing  their 
balances  with  Chicago  institutions.  According  to  offi- 
cial statements  there  were  in  Chicago  institutions  about 
February  i  total  deposits  of  $266.481,246.  According 


120 


THE   CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 


to  similar  statements  three  months  later  there  were, 
about  May  i,  $272.934,242.  There  was  increase  there- 
fore, of  $6,452,996. 

This  preference  on  the  part  of  country  banks  for 
Chicago  institutions  as  depositories  for  funds  rather 
than  the  New  York  banks  probably  grew  out  of  the 
fact  that  in  1893,  when  the  industrial  depression  began, 
New  York  institutions  issued  clearing  house  certificates. 

The  growth  in  deposits  by  years  of  Chicago  banks 
from  1890  to  May  30,  1905,  are  shown  in  the  following 
table : 

CHICAGO  BANK  DEPOSITS. 


December. 

National. 

State. 

Total  Both. 

1890 

%  94,470,800 

*  35.753,854 

$130,224,654 

1891 

118,154,700 

44,442,399 

162,597,099 

1892 

130,058.550 

58,363.226 

188,421,776 

1893 

122,354,131 

56,854,484 

179,208,615 

1894 

129,626,653 

67,062,067 

196,688,720 

1895 

120.705,569 

72,686,890 

193.392,459 

1896 

110,298,369 

66,963,345 

177,261,714 

1897 

150,042,071 

90,502,701 

240,544,772 

1898 

188,131,143 

"3,  958.404 

302,089,547 

1899 

195,346,694 

132,036,352 

327,383,046 

1900 

231,386,146 

158,238,138 

298,624,284 

1901 

262,797,936 

184,889,793 

447,687,729 

1902 

265,136,636 

209,921,612 

475,058,248 

1903 

276,048,884 

234,306,041 

510.354,925 

1904 

299,588,196 

297,070,456 

596,658,652 

May,  1905 

3'5.  077,903 

319,857.721 

634.935.624 

From  the  foregoing  table  it  will  be  seen  that  the 
state  banks  have  been  steadily  gaining  on  the  national 
banks  in  the  volume  of  deposits  since  1890,  and  at  the 
last  call  in  May,  1905,  were  ahead.  This  development 
has  been  due  probably  in  a  large  part  to  the  latitude 
which  the  state  laws  offer  with  reference  to  reserves, 
compared  with  the  national  banking  act. 

Previous  to  1899  the  record  in  the  matter  of  clear- 
ings in  the  history  of  the  clearing  house  association  was 
made  in  1892.  After  the  latter  date,  or  until  1898, 
Chicago,  instead  of  advancing,  went  backward,  and  in 
1896  the  clearings  were  but  about  $100,000,000  better 
than  1894,  the  latter  being  the  low  year  after  1892. 
The  clearings  since  the  clearing  house  was  organized 
follow : 

CHICAGO  BANK  CLEARINGS. 


1865 $  319,606,228 

1866 453,798,648 

1871 868,030,754 

1872 993,060,503 

1873 1,047,027,828 

1874 1,101,347,918 

1875   1,212,817,207 

1876 1,110,093,624 

i8?7 1,044,678,475 

1878 967,184,093 

1879 1,257,756,124 

ib8o 1,725,684,894 

1881 2,240,329,924 

1882 2,393,437,874 

1883 2,517,371,581 

1884 2,259,680,391 

1885 2,318,579,003 

1886 2,604,762,912 


1887 $2,965,216,210 

1888 3,163,774,462 

1889 3,379,925,188 

1890 4,039,145,904 

1891 4,456,885,230 

1892 5,i35.77i,i87 

1893 4,676,960,968 

1894 4,315,440.476 

1895 4,614,979,203 

1896 4,413,054,108 

1897 4,575,693,340 

'898 5,517,335,595 

1899 6.612.313,614 

1900 ....  6,799,535,598 

1901 7,756,372,455 

1902  8,394,872,351 

1903  8,755,553,649 

1904 8,989,983,764 


The  days  of  suspensions,  liquidation  and  consolida- 
tions in  the  last  nine  years  began  late  in  1896.  The  most 
important  failure  was  that  of  the  National  Bank  of 
Illinois.  A  complete  showing  of  the  changes  imme- 
diately prior  to  and  following  the  failure  of  that  insti- 
tution follows: 


BANKS. 


Central   Trust   and   Savings  Bank,   suspended   first 

quarter  1896 

Dime  Savings  Bank,  suspended  third  quarter  of  1896. 
Globe  Savings  Bank,  suspended  first  quarter  of  1897. 
Bank  of  Commerce,  principal  assets  purchased  by 

the  Union  National  Bank,  November.  1897 

International   Bank,    purchased  by  the  Continental 

National  Bank,  February,  1898 

Commercial  Loan  and  Trust  Company,   purchased 

by  the  Royal  Trust  Company,  October,  1898 

National    Bank   of   Illinois,    suspended,    December, 

1896 

Atlas    National    Bank,    voluntary    liquidation,    first 

quarter,   1 897 

Prairie  State  National  Bank,  consolidated  with  Prairie 

State  Savings  and  Trust  Company,  August,  1897, 

under  new  name  of  Prairie  State  Bank 

Hide   and    Leather    National   Bank,    purchased    by 

Union  National  Bank,  December,  1897 

American    Exchange   National    Bank,    consolidated 

with   the   National   Bank  of  America,  under  new 

name  of  America  National  Bank,   Februrary   18, 

1898 

Home   National   Bank,    voluntary   liquidation.    Jan- 
uary 18,  1898  

Globe    National    Bank,    purchased    by    Continental 

National  Bank,  November  18,  1898 

Metropolitan  National   took  over  West   Side  Bank. 

February,  1899 

Bankers   National  took  over  Lincoln  National,   July 

1900 

Corn    Exchange    National    took   over   Northwestern 

National  and  American  National,  September,  1900. 
First  National  absorbed  Union  National,  September. 

1900 

Corn     Exchange     National     took    over     Merchants 

National,  March,  1902 

First    National     absorbed     Metropolitan     Naiional, 

May,  1902 

Continental    National   took   over   National   Bank  of 

North  America,  October,  1904 

American    Trust   and    Savings    took    over    Federal 

Trust  and  Savings,  May,  1905 

Central  Trust  of  Illinois,  reduction  of  capital 


CAPITAL. 


Decrease  in  banking  capital $19,700,000.00 


$  200,000.00 
100,000.00 
200,000.00 

500,000.00 
500,000.00 
500,000.00 
1,000,000.00 
700,000.00 

200,000.00 
300,000.00 

250,000  oo 

1,000,000.00 

1,000,000.00 

50,000.00 

200,000.00 
2,000,000.00 
2,000,000.00 
1,000,000.00 
2,000,000.00 
2,000,000  oo 

2,000,000  oo 
2,000,000.00 


But  in  the  meantime  there  were  increases  in  old 
capital,  as  well  as  new  additions.  These  changes  were 
as  follows: 

1897-0.8— 

National  Live  Stock,  $750,000  to  $1,000,000.  .Increase,  $  250,000.00 

Foreman  Bros.  Banking  Company New  Capital,  500,000.00 

Home  Savings  Bank,  $5,000  to  $100,000 Increase,  95,000.00 

Prairie  State  Savings  and  Trust  Company, 

under   new   name  of   Prairie    State   Bank, 

$200,000  to  $250,000 Increase,  50,000.00 

Western  State  Bank New  Capital,  300,000.00 

1899- 

July — Illinois  Trust  and  Savings Increase,  1,000,000.00 

July — State  Bank  of  Chicago Increase,  500,000  oo 

Dec. — First  National  of  Evanston New  Capital,  100,000.00 

1900 — 

Sept. — Corn  Exchange  National Increase,  1,000,000.00 

Sept. — First  National Increase,  2,000,000.00 

1901 — 

Jan. — Chicago  National Increase,  500,000.00 

April — Continental  National Increase,  1,000,000.00 

May — Hibernian  Banking  Association Increase,  500,000.00 

Aug. — Commercial   National Increase,  1,000,000.00 

Oct. — Illinois  Trust  and  Savings Increase,  1,000,000.00 


THE   CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 


121 


1902 — 

Jan. — DroversTrust  and  Savings New  Capital,  $  200,000.00 

Feh  -    Federal  Trust  and  Savings New  Capital,  2,000,000.00 

March — American  Trust  and  Savings Increase,  1,000,000.00 

March — Chicago  Savings  Bank  organized New  Capital,  250,000.00 

March — Corn  Kxchange  National Increase,  1,000,000.00 

March — Western  State  Bank Increase,  200,000.00 

March — Stock  Yards  Savings New  Capital,  250,000.00 

April — Colonial  Trust  and  Savings  Bank New  Capital,  200,000.00 

April — Drexel  State  Bank New  Capital,  200,000.00 

May — First  National Increase,  3,000,000.00 

May — South  Chicago  Savings New  Capital,  200,000.00 

May — National  Bank  of  North  America New  Capital,  2,000,000.00 

May — Central  Trust  Company New  Capital,  4,000,000.00 

June — National  Bank  of  the  Republic Increase,  1,000,000.00 

Aug. — Bankers  National Increase,  1,000,000  oo 

Sept. — Metropolitan  Trust  and  Savings   ....   Increase,  250,000.00 

1903— 

Feb. -Hamilton  National  Bank New  Capital,  500,000.00 

April — Manufacturers  Bank New  Capital,  200,000.00 

June — Merchants'  Loan  and  Trust Increase,  1,000,000.00 

June — Pearsons-Taft  Land  Credit  Company .  .Increase,  100,000.00 

June — Western  Trust  and  Savings Increase,  500,000.00 

Sept. — Jackson  Trust  and  Savings New  Capital,  250,000.00 

Sept. — Calumet  National Increase,  50,000  oo 

Dec. — First  Trust  and  Savings New  Capital,  1,000,000.00 


1904—  . 

June — Hibernian  Banking  Association Increase,  $500,000.00 

June — Prairie  National New  Capital,  250,000.00 

Sept.— Chicago  Savings Increase,  250,000.00 

Sept. — Calumet  Trust  and  Savings New  Capital,  250,000.00 

1905 

May — American  Trust  and  Savings Increase,  1,000,00000 


Total  additions  to  capital $33,895,000.00 

It  will  be  seen  from  the  foregoing  tables  that  the 
changes  and  combinations  of  banks  have  been  great 
during  the  past  decade.  The  centralization  of  banking 
interests  has  been  more  than  counterbalanced  by  the 
starting  of  new  institutions  and  the  bringing  of  new 
capital  into  the  field.  At  the  close  of  1899  the  banking 
capital  since  the  Illinois  National  failure,  had  shrunk 
over  four  and  a  quarter  million  dollars.  In  the  next  five 
years  this  had  been  more  than  overcome  and  the  net  in- 
crease since  1896  was  over  $14,000,000,  up  to  May,  1905. 

The  condition  of  the  Chicago  banks  at  the  time  of 
the  call.  May,  1905,  follows: 


CONDITION  OF  CHICAGO  STATE  BANKS,  MAY  31,   1905. 


NAME. 

Capital 
Stock 
Paid  In. 

Surplus 
and 
Undivided 
Profits. 

Loans 
and 
Discounts. 

Bonds 
and 

Stocks. 

Cash 
on 
Hand. 

Due  from 
Other 
Banks. 

Checks 
and 
Other 
Cash 
Items. 

Savings 
Deposits 
Subject  to 
Notice. 

Individual 
Deposits. 

Due  10 
Other 
Banks. 

Total 
Deposits. 

American  Trust  and  Savings  Hank  
Austin  State  

$3,000,000 
25000 

11,969,687 
39350 

$18,360.031 
415  601 

$  4,947,801 
204  345 

$  4.648,547 
56  251 

$  4,867,827 
104  209 

$1,467.532 

$  3.004,172 
380  %1 

$19,815,855 
341  434 

$  6,763,344 

$29,5F3,37I 
•joo  385 

Central  Trust  of  Illinois. 

2  000  000 

916  361 

7  346  041 

1  196  796 

1  502  1% 

5  961  'J05 

1  859  879 

Chicago  City  Hank  

200000 

157,528 

1  055201 

1  87  832 

52  851 

330  835 

619  3°6 

710  593 

1  3->9  919 

500  000 

60  314 

1   161  686 

924  349 

215  947 

79<»  096 

1  112  126 

31  769 

Colonial  Trust  and  Savings  

200000 

101  477 

1  2->6  813 

77  700 

26  603 

191  983 

136  331 

111  303 

1  031  321 

215  319 

1  357  943 

Cook  County  State  Savings  

50.000 

2,417 

225205 

50000 

10  425 

99  421 

14  709 

1  42  33H 

205504 

347  842 

200  000 

16  274 

850  93° 

<*5  125 

200000 

48  094 

1  143  696 

419  000 

45  43** 

•765  161 

101 

1  5°  I  037 

93  °90 

1  614  327 

First  Trust  and  Savings  

1,000.000 

698,075 

1  1  931  892 

7577313 

608  402 

•»  087  646 

76  689 

8  705  746 

1  1  638  397 

239723 

20  583  HIM 

Foreman  Bros.  Hanking  Company  .... 
Hibernian  Hanking  Association  

500,000 
1,000.000 

627,237 
1,049,404 

4,594,078 
12246423 

229.653 
2  044  216 

405,677 
886  521 

1,171,896 
0  439  965 

97,280 
222  858 

14  Oil  030 

5,371,347 
2  408  769 

"    39  125 

5,371,347 

16  458  924 

100  000 

155  785 

3  787  000 

19  857 

513  354 

4  064  426 

4  064  426 

Illinois  Trust  and  Savings  Bank  .  .  . 
Jfcckson  Trust  and  Savings  
Kenwood  Trust  and  Savings  

4,000,000 
250,000 
200000 

5,948,405 
56.675 
14,244 

51,069,379 
1,047,084 
332865 

23,808,677 
240,169 

10,842,927 
67,165 
6  778 

13,170.387 
180.021 
8  OM) 

592,309 
33,223 

61,150,514 
131.224 
37  946 

26.600,686 
1,025.257 
102996 

1,852,635 
124,496 

89,603.835 
1,280,977 
140  942 

200000 

11  589 

380566 

67  365 

14  993 

62  166 

10  376 

72  218 

212  603 

42  554 

327  375 

Merchants'  Loan  and  Trust  Company. 

3,000,000 
750000 

3,617.532 
257  748 

35.704,245 
3  861  516 

8,890.129 
663  946 

6,641.797 
'?33  000 

12,018,007 
439  032 

2,148,482 
188  419 

5,238,095 
697  152 

27,634.837 
3715997 

15,944,552 

48,817,484 
4  413  149 

250  000 

255  760 

o  667  263 

303  634 

*>>>9  80q 

607  603 

73  607 

2  554  257 

918  476 

3  472  733 

1  000000 

1  684  022 

13  829  196 

7  857  1  1  1 

3  759  256 

5  154  700 

554  751 

9  720  894 

17672  415 

1  847  333 

29  240  642 

North  Side  State  Savings 

50  000 

6  034 

244  630 

14  034 

ST  757 

2*1  9*i 

151  966 

159  947 

311  913 

800000 

5  700 

3  262  193 

1  137 

73556 

2  983  593 

2  983.593 

200  000 

13  510 

6°4  519 

3  100 

26  750 

51  766 

399 

202  075 

361  771 

563  846 

Prairie  State  Bank  

250000 

73  721 

4  006321 

760  225 

484  351 

527  893 

71  763 

3  734  513 

1,807341 

6,183 

5  548  037 

Pullman  Loan  and  Savings  

300,000 

170,613 

1,714,380 

1,078  095 

107  545 

437996 

2.173 

2,123468 

745,808 

2,869,376 

500000 

447  335 

3  530  703 

1  217  137 

233  5>76 

912  405 

189  097 

1  720  022 

2,908,687 

532.659 

5,161,368 

200  000 

31  875 

535  7'*3 

160  987 

73  476 

93  494 

265  194 

412  883 

678077 

State  Hank  of  Chicago  

1  000000 

609,543 

10  727  233 

894  190 

991  899 

2  032  662 

678203 

6  991  350 

5,279,545 

1,443,629 

13,714,524 

State  Bank  West  Pullman. 

25  000 

4  643 

133  971 

26  836 

20  573 

18  893 

107  300 

73467 

180767 

*750  000 

104  615 

1  048  800 

63'J  34° 

67  339 

206  399 

7  096 

1  441  497 

165  865 

1  607  362 

Union  Stock  Yards  State  Hank 

200000 

12  448 

476  970 

36  535 

84  849 

249  498 

210245 

4,312 

464,055 

1  000  000 

5*7  970 

6  1  66  478 

I  906  "84 

420  475 

2  714  689 

654  935 

3  707  601 

6  257  836 

319  455 

10  284  892 

1,000000 

187  170 

4  283  333 

483  382 

96  442 

604  448 

2  1  4  694 

873  483 

2  736  487 

945,169 

4.555,139 

Total  Mav  31    1905. 

$23  750  000 

Jiq  93^  655 

$196  ^QZ)  057 

$70  734  669 

$31  909  014 

$55  045  836 

$7  998  026 

$136  361  586 

$151  283  999 

$32212,136 

$319,857,721 

*  Pearson-Taft  Land  Credit  Company  does  not  do  a  general  banking  business. 

CONDITION  OF  CHICAGO  NATIONAL  BANKS  MAY  29,   1905. 


BANKS. 

Capital. 

Surplus 
and 
Profits. 

Loans 
and 
Discounts. 

Specie. 

Other 
Cash  and 
Treasury 
Credits. 

Individual 
Deposits. 

Due  Banks. 

Due  from 
Hanks 
and 
Agents. 

United 
States 
Bonds. 

Other 
Stocks 
and 
Bonds. 

Total 
Deposits. 

$2  OX)  000 

$1  065  962 

$10471  300 

$  2  352  108 

$   734  377 

$  4  729  583 

$10  218  761 

$  3  484  601 

$      50,000 

$    642.484 

$14.948.324 

1  000  000 

1  423  345 

1  2  602  653 

3  530  000 

1  333  166 

18  009  505 

4  949  319 

4  393080 

50000 

2,152,794 

22,958,824 

2  000000 

1  792  123 

23  995  870 

4  836  667 

1  937  316 

12872  133 

21  946  850 

4  429,780 

500.000 

2,554,833 

34,818,983 

3  000  000 

1  232  536 

33  128  159 

4  699  134 

6  230  294 

15  543  107 

37  129  714 

9  400  176 

50000 

1,564,293 

52,672,821 

Corn  Exchange  

3.000.080 
600000 

3.581.208 
274  692 

35,105,323 
3  609  495 

7,603.828 
444  958 

2,171,713 
4°2  510 

25,412,546 
2  544  750 

22,756,877 
2  72"1  151 

6,638,629 
1  079309 

1,000.000 
50000 

784,960 
10,093 

48,169.423 
5.266,901 

First  

8.000.000 

6,113  755 

57,498,500 

11,514.830 

4  946  301 

40  009  751 

52  565  506 

22,917,564 

2,107,000 

5,973,429 

92.575.357 

1  000000 

226614 

6  303  188 

991  440 

814  507 

6  243  307 

3  341  506 

2  039  157 

1,  025,000 

424,400 

9.584,813 

Hamilton  

500,000 

141,896 

2.097,966 

438,651 

50,824 

1  912274 

1  103.080 

603,749 

446.686 

223,254 

3,015,354 

Live  Stock 

1  000000 

1  302  966 

6  583  956 

530  129 

307596 

4  671  382 

4  009478 

1  962  924 

50,000 

110.000 

8,680.860 

Prairie 

250  000 

59596 

593  536 

134  944 

3°  126 

502  330 

959  030 

215296 

261  778 

45.000 

761,360 

2000000 

952.610 

12,630.548 

2.634  051 

809654 

9  473  822 

8  9"4  224 

3  539  382 

207,000 

858,941 

18,398,046 

100  000 

31  067 

568004 

56  037 

52  854 

72'  867 

169  872 

104,802 

722,867 

First  (Eni^lewood)  

100,000 

106,770 

1.492,220 

41.160 

36704 

1,598  090 

170.583 

46,500 

56,692 

1.598.090 

50000 

49536 

787387 

35.231 

35595 

905  567 

93 

140  283 

12,500 

905,960 

Total  May  29   1905 

$24  600  000 

$18  334  676 

1207  468  105 

$39  833  168 

$10  915  537 

$145  151  314 

$169  9°6  580 

$01  274  385 

$5961,266 

$15,401.173 

$315,077,903 

THE  CITY  OF  CHICAGO. 


First  (National  Bank  of  Chicago.  In  its  new 
$5,000,000,  eighteen-story  home,  the  First  National 
Bank  of  Chicago  is  the  model  institution  of  its  kind 
in  the  world.  The  bank  is  the  oldest  national  bank  in 
Chicago,  and  among  American  banks  exceeded  in  the 
amount  of  resources  controlled  by  only  three  New  York 
institutions. 

The  bank  was  organized  in  1863  as  National  Bank 
No.  8.  with  a  capital  of  $273,000,  and  a  staff  of  five 
employees  and  officers.  Tt  now  has  a  capital  of  $8,000,- 
ooo,  deposits  of  $98,000,000.  10,000  depositors  and 


FIRST    NATIONAL    BANK. 

550  employees.  In  1903  it  transacted  business  to  the 
amount  of  $12,000,000,000,  whereas  the  United  States 
government  receipts  for  the  twelve-month  ending  June, 
1904,  amounted  to  little  more  than  $1,000,000.000. 

Not  only  in  its  general  business  methods  with  the 
public,  but  in  its  internal  organization,  and  its  dealings 
with  employees  has  the  bank  blazed  the  path  for  the 
financial  institutions  of  the  country.  The  arrangement 
of  its  official  organization  according  to  the  general 
lines  of  trade  is  the  feature  most  striking  to  the  person 
accustomed  to  doing  business  with  other  banking  insti- 
tutions. In  other  banks,  and  formerly  in  this  one, 
depositors  and  correspondents  were  classified  accord- 
ing to  the  letters  of  the  alphabet  that  start  their  names. 


Now  they  are  apportioned  according  to  their  trade  or 
profession.  Twenty-six  lines  of  business  are  recognized 
and  divided  into  seven  groups,  each  one  in  charge  of  a 
senior  and  junior  officer.  All  banking  business  out  of 
the  daily  routine  of  making  deposits,  securing  cash, 
etc.,  is  transacted  through  these  divisions.  Division 
"A,"  of  which  Vice-President  David  R.  Forgan  is  the 
chief,  meets  all  persons  whose  business  is:  collateral 
stocks  and  bonds,  grain,  flour  and  feed,  meat  products, 
live  stock  commission,  coal,  physicians  and  lawyers. 
Other  lines  are  grouped  in  the  same  manner  and  the 
men  in  each  division  become  specialists  and  keep  in 
touch  with  the  trades  conditions. 

For  the  benefit  of  the  employees,  President  James  B. 
Forgan  has  devised  a  complete  pension  system,  which 
is  supported  both  by  the  bank  and  its  employees.  On 
the  top  floor  of  the  building  is  a  cafe,  where  a  well- 
known  caterer  daily  serves  lunch  to  the  entire  force  of 
officers  and  clerks  at  the  bank's  expense.  Another 
benefit  is  a  savings  association  that  pays  5  per  cent 
interest  on  deposits  up  to  a  certain  amount.  The  insti- 
tution has  a  library  and  a  monthly  periodical.  The 
Review,  containing  financial  news  and  office  gossip, 
which  circulates  among  the  employees.  The  bank  ie 
ably  represented  in  public  with  musical,  literary,  social 
and  athletic  organizations  from  the  staff. 

The  tradition  and  aim  of  the  institution  has  been 
to  be  everybody's  bank,  and  in  this  it  has  succeeded 
greater  than  any  like  institution  in  the  world.  New 
York's  largest  bank,  the  National  City  bank,  may 
show  a  score  of  persons  transacting  business  at  its 
counters  at  the  liveliest  hours  of  the  day.  During  bank- 
ing hours  in  the  First  National  bank  of  Chicago,  it  is 
not  unusual  to  count  200  customers  in  the  office,  and  at 
2  130  in  the  afternoon  its  stairways  are  crowded  like  the 
exits  of  a  popular  theater  after  a  performance. 

The  bank  has  more  than  10,000  regular  depositors, 
and  only  by  its  system  of  organization  could  be  handled 
the  extraordinary  multiplicity  of  items  that  compose 
its  immense  bulk  of  business.  Every  day  1 00,000  entries 
are  made  on  its  books,  and  15,000  checks  and  drafts 
on  other  cities  are  sent  out  for  collection.  The  in-mail 
department  alone,  between  the  hours  of  7:30  and  10:30 
each  morning,  disposes  of  about  4,000  letters,  including 
deposits  in  cash,  checks  and  drafts  of  from  $7,000,000 
to  $10,000,000. 

One  striking  example  of  the  care  and  system  of  the 
bank  is  shown  by  the  out-mail  department.  Though 
the  annual  business  of  the  bank  totals  up  in  the  billions 
of  dollars,  not  a  penny  must  be  missing  or  astray  in 
the  daily  footings.  Economy  in  postage  alone  saves 
the  bank  from  $25  to  $30  per  day.  All  letters  are  mailed 
after  hours.  Should  a  dozen  departments  find  it  neces- 
sary to  write  to  the  same  correspondent  during  one  day, 
every  letter  will  come  to  the  same  mail  clerk,  and  all 


THE   CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 


123 


will  be  finally  forwarded  in  one  envelope  instead  of  pay- 
ing separate  postage  for  each  one. 

The  main  entrance  of  the  First  National  Bank 
building  was  opened  to  the  public  May  15,  1905.  It 
is  one  of  the  most  magnificent  buildings  in  the  United 
States.  Its  granite  walls,  facing  Dearborn  and  Monroe 
streets,  rise  eighteen  stories  in  majestic  simplicity,  the 
only  ornamentation  being  slightly  projecting  sill  courses. 
A  marble  hall  of  Romanic  splendor  is  the  interior  space 
containing  the  bank.  The  bank  occupies  the  space 
contained  in  the  first  three  stories.  The  aggregate 
height  of  these  three  lower  stories  is  equal  to  that  of  an 
ordinary  five-story  building.  A  cornice  supported  on 
massive  Doric  pilasters,  forty  feet  high,  inclose  the 
arched  openings  of  the  bank  proper.  Through  an 
archway  the  main  entrance  to  the  main  banking  room 
leads  into  the  grand  central  court.  This  court  with  its 
marble  wall  and  marble  seats  and  crystal  plate-glass 
dome  fifty  feet  above  the  floor  is  one  of  the  most  impos- 
ing interiors  to  be  found  in  any  land.  The  court 
measures  60  by  90  feet  and  is  surrounded  by  an  arcade. 
The  main  banking  room  is  230  feet  long,  190  feet  wide 
and  47  feet  high,  fifteen  feet  of  the  height  facing  the 
court  being  divided  off  into  a  secondary  floor.  There 
is  one  acre  of  floor  space  for  every  story.  This  space  is 
divided  off  into  offices  and  corridors,  the  corridors  on 
every  floor  extending  entirely  around  the  building. 
The  building  has  a  frontage  of  231  feet  on  Monroe 
street  and  192  feet  on  Dearborn  street,  the  total  area 
being  44,274  square  feet.  Its  height  is  257  feet.  There 
are  1,800  windows  in  the  structure  and  1,020  doors. 
These  furnish  light  and  egress  and  ingress  to  983 
offices.  Like  a  city  within  itself  the  building  contains 
its  own  electric  lighting  plant,  the  boilers  of  800  horse 
power  furnishing  power  for  the  7,900  electric  lights  and 
for  the  running  of  the  fourteen  elevators.  There  is  a 
two-story  basement  underneath  the  structure  where 
are  located  the  power  plants,  the  printing  office  and 
other  departments. 

Before  the  Chicago  fire  in  1871,  the  bank  occupied 
quarters  at  Clark  and  Lake  streets.  After  that  building 
was  destroyed,  it  moved  to  State  and  Washington 
streets,  where  it  remained  until  1882.  It  then  moved  to 
its  present  location  and  the  new  building  of  which  it 
took  possession  was  then  considered  the  finest  in  Chi- 
cago. When  it  was  demolished  two  years  ago  to  make 
way  for  the  bank's  present  home  it  was  more  modern 
than  many  office  buildings. 

E.  Aiken  was  the  first  president  of  the  bank.  After 
his  death,  in  1867,  Samuel  M.  Nickerson  succeeded  to 
the  office.  Lyman  J.  Gage  became  cashier  of  the  bank 
when  it  was  reorganized  in  August.  1868.  In  1882 
another  reorganization  took  place,  and  Mr.  Gage 
advanced  to  vice-president.  A  few  years  later  he  was 
chosen  president.  He  resigned  this  office  to  enter 


President  McKinley's  cabinet  as  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury. 

Mr.  Nickerson  was  then  re-elected  president,  but 
soon  afterwards  retired  to  private  life  in  New  York 
City.  James  B.  Forgan,  the  present  chief  executive  of 
the  bank,  succeeded  him.  The  other  officers  of  the  First 
National  are : 

Division  A — David  R.  Forgan,  vice-president ;  E.  S. 
Thomas,  assistant  manager. 

Division  B — George  D.  Boulton,  vice-president ; 
Frank  E.  Brown,  assistant  manager. 

Division  C — Howard  H.  Hitchcock,  vice-president ; 
Charles  N.  Gillett,  assistant  manager. 

Division  D — Richard  J.  Street,  manager;  Frank  O. 
Wetmore,  cashier. 

Division  E — Holmes  Hoge.  manager;  Charles  H. 
Newhall,  assistant  manager. 

Division  F — August  Blum,  manager;  Herbert  W. 
Brough,  assistant  manager. 

Orville  Peckham,  attorney;  James  D.  Woley,  assist- 
ant attorney;  Emile  K.  Boisot,  manager  bond  depart- 
ment; Fred  I.  Kent,  manager,  and  John  J.  Arnold, 
assistant  manager,  foreign  exchange;  M.  D.  Witkow- 
sky,  auditor;  E.  J.  Blossom,  manager  discounts  and  col- 
laterals; H.  A.  Howland,  manager  credits  and  statistics; 
William  H.  Monroe,  assistant  cashier  and  manager  cleri- 
cal and  bookkeeping  department. 

The  directors  of  the  bank  are :  Samuel  W.  Allerton, 
George  F.  Baker,  John  H.  Barker,  A.  C.  Bartlett,  Geo. 
D.  Boulton,  William  L.  Brown,  A.  A.  Carpenter,  Jr., 
D.  Mark  Cummings,  Charles  Deering,  David  R.  For- 
gan, James  B.  Forgan,  H.  H.  Hitchcock,  James  H. 
Hyde,  Harold  F.  McCormick,  Nelson  Morris,  Eugene 
S.  Pike,  Henry  H.  Porter,  Jr.,  Norman  B.  Ream,  John 
A.  Spoor,  Wm.  J.  Watson,  Otto  Young. 

The  Continental  National  Bank,  in  its  record-break- 
ing growth  recently  overstepped  the  $50,000,000  mark 
in  its  deposit  line  and  now  takes  second  place  among 
the  national  banks  of  this  city. 

The  era  of  agricultural  prosperity  and  commercial 
and  industrial  development  which  began  during  the 
closing  years  of  the  last  decade  and  still  continues,  man- 
ifested itself  most  emphatically  in  bank  clearings  and 
the  phenomenal  rise  in  bank  deposits.  That  the  Con- 
tinental National  Bank  has  been  keenly  alive  to  the 
opportunities  this  condition  offered  is  amply  attested 
to  by  the  fact  that  in  1895  its  deposits  amounted  to 
only  $8,678,000,  while  in  its  report  to  the  comptroller 
of  the  currency,  January  n,  1905,  deposits  aggregating 
$52,000,000  were  reported.  Through  the  absorption 
of  the  International  Bank  and  the  Globe  National 
Bank  in  1898,  and  the  National  Bank  of  North 
America  in  October,  1904.  $16,000,000  of  deposits  were 
added.  The  remainder,  or  approximately  $27,000,000, 


124 


THE  CITY  OF  CHICAGO. 


represents  clean  gain  through  sheer  force  of  the  most 
energetic  and  intelligent  exertions  on  the  part  of  a 
progressive  and  far-sighted  management.  "Progress" 
has  been  the  watchword  which  carried  this  institution 
onward  in  its  career  and  found  its  scope  and  expression 
in  the  development  of  every  department.  No  tradition 
was  too  sacred  to  be  sacrificed  in  the  legitimate  exten- 


CONTINENTAL    NATIONAL    BANK. 

sion  of  business,  and  the  winning  of  new  fields.  These 
efforts  remained  not  without  their  just  reward,  for 
to-day  the  bank  numbers  among  its  clients  banks  and 
bankers  as  well  as  merchants  and  manufacturers  in  all 
the  states  and  territories  of  the  Union,  and  takes  rank 
with  the  leading  financial  institutions  of  the  country. 
To  meet  the  greater  demands  created  by  the  growth 
of  the  business,  the  original  capital  of  $2.000,000  was 
increased  in  April,  1901,  to  $3,000.000.  The  recently 
published  report  of  the  comptroller  of  the  currency 


indicated  a  surplus  of  $1,000,000  and  undivided  profits 
of  $56,739,  total  deposits  $51,905.319,  loans,  discounts, 
stocks  and  bonds.  $33,747.639.  and  cash  and  cash 
means  $22,193,051. 

The  present  staff  of  officers  is  as  follows:  John  C. 
Black,  president ;  G.  M.  Reynolds,  vice-president ;  N.  E. 
Barker,  vice-president ;  Ira  P.  Bow  en,  assistant  cashier ; 

Benjamin    S.    Mayer,    assistant    cashier;    W.    G. 

Schroeder,   assistant  cashier;   Herman  Waldeck, 

assistant     cashier;     John     McCarthy,     assistant 

cashier. 

The  Chicago  National  Bank  was  organized 
January  9,  1882.  At  the  end  of  the  first  three 
months  of  activity  its  deposits  amounted  to  $827,- 
536.  To-day,  after  twenty-three  years  and  some 
odd  months  of  growth,  the  deposits  amount  to 
$22,958,845. 

During  all  these  years  of  rapid  growth,  Mr. 
John  R.  Walsh  has  been  the  president  of  the  in- 
stitution. His  long,  active  service  makes  Mr. 
Walsh  the  dean  of  Chicago's  banking  fraternity  as 
a  chief  executive.  Mr.  Fred  M.  Blount,  the  vice- 
president  of  the  institution,  is  with  one  exception 
the  oldest  bank  official  in  Chicago  in  any  execu- 
tive office. 

The  growth  of  the  Chicago  National  Bank  has 
been  a  steady  and  gradual  one,  coincident  with 
the  general  financial  growth  of  Chicago.  Its  in- 
creases have  reflected  the  city's  prosperity,  and 
have  been  the  result  of  steadily  increasing  patron- 
age to  the  bank  from  old  and  new  customers.  No 
other  banking  or  financial  institutions  have  ever 
been  merged  into  the  original  organization  of  the 
bank,  so  that  its  growth  has  never  been  accel- 
erated by  such  sudden  influxes  of  capital. 

The  first  organization  of  the  bank  was  effected 
with  the  following  officers:  John  R.  Walsh,  presi- 
dent :  James  Adsit,  vice-president ;  Henry  H. 
Nash,  cashier,  and  James  Adsit,  Jr.,  assistant 
cashier.  In  1884  the  Adsit  interests  withdrew 
from  the  bank  and  Henry  H.  Nash  was  chosen 
vice-president,  William  Cox  became  cashier,  and 
Fred  M.  Blount,  assistant  cashier.  Mr.  Cox  left 
the  bank  in  1891,  and  Mr.  Blount  succeeded  to 
the  position  of  cashier,  T.  M.  Jackson  becoming 
assistant  cashier.  After  the  death  of  Mr.  Nash  in  1892, 
Mr.  Blount  became  vice-president  of  the  institution. 
The  officers  have  not  changed  since  that  time,  and  now 
are :  John  R.  Walsh,  president ;  Fred  M.  Blount,  vice- 
president;  T.  M.  Jackson,  cashier:  F.  W.  McLean,  first 
assistant  cashier,  and  J.  E.  Shea,  second  assistant 
cashier. 

The  directors  are:  C.  K.  G.  Billings.  Fred  G- 
McNally,  Maurice  Rosenfeld,  John  R.  Walsh,  Fred  M. 


THE   CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 


125 


Blount,  John  M.  Smyth  and  William  Best.  Associated 
with  the  Chicago  National  Bank  are  the  Home  Savings 
Bank,  the  Equitable  Trust  Company  and  the  Chicago 
Safe  Deposit  Company.  Six  of  the  seven  directors  of 
the  National  bank  are  also  directors  in  both  the  Savings 
bank  and  the  Trust  company. 

The  National  bank  as  well  as  the  Savings  bank  and 


Trust  Company,  pays  interest  on  accounts  of  banks, 
individuals,  firms  and  corporations.  In  the  Savings 
bank,  deposits  are  received  for  $i  or  more,  and  the 
interest  is  compounded  semi-annually.  The  Trust 
company  performs  the  usual  functions  of  an  executor, 
keeping  the  trust  funds  and  investments  separate  from 
the  assets  of  the  company.  The  Safe  Deposit  company 


CHICAGO    NATIONAL    BANK. 


126 


THE  CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 


vaults  in  the  basement  of  the  banking  building  are 
among  the  largest  and  strongest  in  the  world. 

The  last  report,  May  29,  1905,  of  the  condition  of 
the  Chicago  National  Bank  showed  assets  amounting 
to  $25,431,590.36,  of  which  $12,555,559.68  was  in 
loans  and  discounts,  and  $10,376,142.93  in  cash  assets. 
The  capital  stock  was  $1,000,000,  with  $1,000,000  sur- 
plus and  $423,345.04  in  undivided  profits.  The  deposits 
on  the  same  date  aggregated  $22,,959,845.32. 

The  completion  of  the  home  of  the  Chicago  National 
Bank  marked  the  beginning  of  a  new  order  of  architec- 
ture in  Chicago.  When  the  new  building  was  projected 
it  was  aimed  to  produce  a  structure  which  would  be 
typical  of  a  bank  to  even  the  most  casual  observer.  It 
is  of  the  Corinthian  style  of  architecture  with  four 
immense  columns  fifty  feet  in  height,  ornamenting  its 
facade.  The  building  has  a  ninety-foot  frontage  on  Mon- 
roe street,  and  is  a  symbol  of  solidity  and  strength. 

To  a  depth  of  fifty  feet  the  building  is  four  stories 
in  height.  The  remaining  138  feet  of  the  lot  are  covered 
by  the  banking  floor,  one-story  high  and  roofed  entirely 
with  glass.  The  first  floor  of  the  front  section  of  the 
building  is  occupied  by  the  banking  room  of  the  Home 
Savings  Bank  and  directors'  room  and  president's  office. 
On  the  second  and  third  floors  and  fourth  are  the  offices 
of  the  Equitable  Trust  Company,  and  the  legal  depart- 
ment of  the  various  financial  institutions. 

The  beautiful  interior  of  the  main  banking  room 
would  make  a  harmonious  setting  for  the  richest  of  art 
galleries,  as  well  as  it  does  for  this  home  of  finance  and 
commercialism.  The  floors  are  of  Vermont  marble  and 
the  counters  and  bases  which  enclose  three  sides  of  the 
room  are  of  mottled  green  marble.  The  walls  of  the 
room  are  paneled  with  veined  Pavanazzo  marble  from 
the  quarries  of  Carrara,  Italy. 

These  beautiful  marble  panels  are  matched  just  as 
they  were  cut  from  the  quarries,  and  so  perfectly  do  the 
tints  fit  together  that  each  pair  seem  as  if  they  were 
the  symmetrical  pages  of  a  deep-toned  marble  book. 
In  the  space  between  the  marble  panels  and  the  glass 
ceiling  are  sixteen  semi-circular  oil  paintings  repre- 
senting scenes  and  incidents  in  the  history  of  Chicago 
from  the  time  of  the  Indians  to  the  present  day. 

In  the  rear  of  the  banking  room  are  ten  immense 
vaults  in  which  the  money,  valuables  and  records  of  the 
banks  are  kept.  They  are  three  stories  in  height,  and 
entirely  clear  of  the  outer  walls  so  that  they  may  be 
completely  encircled  by  watchmen.  The  outer  walls  of 
the  building  are  themselves  three  feet  thick. 

The  Commercial  National  Bank.  The  organization 
of  the  Commercial  National  Bank  was  begun  at  a  meet- 
ing held  December  12,  1864.  The  bank  was  author- 
ized by  Hon.  Hugh  McCulloch,  then  comptroller  of  the 
currency,  to  begin  business  January  13.  1865.  Those 


who  were  active  in  its  beginning  were  P.  R.  Westfall. 
who  was  the  first  president  of  the  bank ;  R.  B.  Ennis, 
Moses  S.  Bacon,  Charles  Ennis,  W.  H.  Ennis  and 
Nicholas  O.  Williams.  These  gentlemen  composed  its 
first  board  of  directors.  On  May  16,  1866,  the  follow- 
ing additional  directors  were  elected :  Henry  F. 
Eames,  Wm.  H.  Ferry,  H.  Z.  Culver,  Henry  H.  Taylor, 
Henry  W.  King,  Alonzo  Campbell,  Wm.  H.  Kretzin- 
ger,  Bacon  Wheeler,  R.  B.  Mason  and  Alfred  Cowles, 


jSj 

»5Ni8, 


3 

3  m 
3  HI  in  in 

HI  HUH 


•      ;S   iiinU 

teSnniiHl  1 


I  i  minim 

niiiiiininu     a 

r'Timnniininmiii  * 


HI  HI  in 
mm  mi 
HI  HI  in  H 


COMMERCIAL    NATIONAL    BANK. 

all  of  whom  were  representative  citizens  of  Chicago  at 
that  time,  and  they  added  greatly  to  the  future  success 
of  the  institution.  The  capital  stock  paid  in  was 
$200,000  and  the  report  for  September.  1866,  shows  the 
deposits  at  that  time  to  have  been  $506,302.50.  At  the 
beginning  of  the  next  year  Mr.  Albert  Keep  and  Mr. 
E.  F.  Pulsifer  were  added  to  the  board  of  directors  and 
the  capital  stock  was  increased  to  $500,000. 

The  growth  of  the  bank  was  constant  and  uniform 
from  the  start,  and  among  its  customers  were  manv  of 


THE  CITY   OF  CHICAGO. 


127 


the  most  substantial  men  of  the  city;  all  of  which  was 
the  direct  result  of  the  standing  and  ability  of  the  men 
who  stood  as  the  representatives  of  the  institution  and 
directed  its  wise  and  conservative  policy. 

From  time  to  time  important  additions  were  made 
to  the  directory.  S.  W.  Rawson  became  a  director  in 
1868;  D.  K.  Pearsons  in  1873;  N.  K.  Fairbank  in  1876; 
Franklin  McVeagh  and  George  L.  Otis  in  1880; 
Henry  Field,  O.  W.  Potter  and  Jesse  Spalding  in  1885; 
Norman  Williams  in  1888;  Win.  J.  Chalmers  in  1891; 
and  James  H.  Eckels,  John  C.  McKeon  and  Robert  T. 
Lincoln  in  January,  1898.  Mr.  Wm.  H.  Ferry  was 
vice-president  from  May,  1866,  to  March,  1880,  and 
George  L.  Otis  from  January,  1881,  to  1885  ;  Mr.  Henry 
Field  from  1885  to  1890;  Mr.  O.  W.  Potter  from  1890 
to  1896. 

The  office  of  president  was  filled  continuously  by 
Mr.  Henry  F.  Fames  from  1867  to  1897,  and  under  his 
guidance  the  bank  prospered  and  became  one  of  the 
leading  financial  institutions  in  Chicago.  Deposits 
increased  during  his  term  from  $506,300  to>  more  than 
$9,000,000,  and  to  his  wise  and  careful  management, 
supported  by  the  directory,  is  due  in  a  large  measure 
the  success  which  the  bank  has  enjoyed. 

On  March  20,  1886,  the  capital  was  increased  to 
$1,000,000,  which  was  done  entirely  from  accumulated 
earnings. 

On  January  i,  1898,  Mr.  James  H.  Eckels,  former 
comptroller  of  the  currency,  was  elected  president.  The 
reputation  as  a  financier  which  he  brought  to  the  insti- 
tution caused  a  marked  increase  in  its  business,  which 
is  best  shown  perhaps  by  the  increase  in  its  deposits 
from  about  $9,000,000,  at  the  time  he  took  charge,  to 
over  $19,000,000  at  the  close  of  his  second  year,  as  chief 
executive.  The  statement  March  14,  1905,  shows 
a  surplus  fund  of  $1,000,000,  in  addition  to  the  capital 
stock  of  $2,000,000,  and  undivided  profits  of  $783,- 

399-53- 

The  present  officers  of  the  Commercial  National 
Bank  are:  James  H.  Eckels,  president;  Joseph  T.  Tal- 
bert,  vice-president ;  Ralph  VanVechten,  second  vice- 
president  ;  David  Vernon,  third  vice-president ;  N.  R. 
Losch,  cashier;  Geo.  B.  Smith,  assistant  cashier;  Harvey 
C.  Vernon,  assistant  cashier;  H.  Erskine  Smith,  assistant 
cashier  and  auditor ;  Wm.  T.  Bruckner,  assistant  cashier. 
The  directors  are  Franklin  McVeagh,  Chas.  F.  Spald- 
ing, Wm.  J.  Chalmers,  James  H.  Eckels,  Robert  T. 
Lincoln,  E.  H.  Garry,  Paul  Morton,  Darius  Miller  and 
Jos.  T.  Talbert. 

The  Illinois  Trust  and  Savings  Bank  was  organized 
May  7,  1873,  commencing  business  on  the  northwest 
corner  of  Madison  and  Market  streets.  The  capital 
stock  at  that  time  was  $100,000,  and  the  first  president 
of  the  bank  was  Mr.  L.  B.  Sidway.  In  1875  a  change  of 


location  was  made  to  Clark  street,  between  Washington 
and  Madison,  and  the  bank's  growth  continuing  with 
increased  force,  a  second  change  became  imperative  in 
1878,  when  the  quarters  so  long  occupied  by  the  old 
Fidelity  Bank  were  taken  after  the  failure  of  the  last- 
named  institution.  During  that  year  President  Sidway 
retired  from  the  control  of  the  affairs  of  the  bank,  and 
H.  G.  Powers  assumed  the  direction  of  the  financial 
management.  He  continued  in  charge  until  1880,  when 
the  present  president,  John  J.  Mitchell,  was  chosen  to 
succeed  him.  Under  the  wise  and  energetic  administra- 
tion of  President  Mitchell  the  deposits  soon  reached  the 
sum  of  $1,000,000,  an  excellent  showing  for  that  time, 
and  especially  by  so  comparatively  a  young  concern. 


JOHN  J.   MITCHELL. 

Here  the  Illinois  Trust  and  Savings  Bank  did  a  con- 
stantly increasing  business  for  ten  years,  eight  of  which 
were  under  the  active  and  personal  management  of 
President  Mitchell.  No  better  illustration  of  Mr. 
Mitchell's  success  could  be  cited  than  the  fact  that  when 
the  increased  demands  for  greater  facilities,  in  1888, 
demanded  and  made  imperative  a  third  removal,  the 
capital  stock  had  been  increased  to  $2,000,000,  a  sum 
twenty  times  greater  than  the  original  capital,  and  a  sur- 
plus of  $2,500,000  had  been  accumulated,  and  at  a  later 
date  again  increased  to  $3,000,000.  The  ground  floor  of 
the  Rookery  was  chosen  as  the  new  location,  and  so 
commodious  and  extensive  were  these  quarters  that  the 
most  sanguine  friend  of  the  bank  would  have  declared 
no  further  change  ever  would  become  necessary.  But 
such  has  been  the  success  of  the  bank,  both  in  its  bank- 
ing, trust  and  savings  departments,  under  its  present 


128 


THE   CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 


efficient  management,  that  even  the  commodious  quar- 
ters in  the  Rookery  proved  too  small.  An  opportunity 
was  afforded  for  the  building  of  a  permanent  home  on 
La  Salle  street,  between  Jackson  and  Quincy  streets,  and 
this  building,  which  was  completed  in  the  early  part  of 
1897,  at  a  cost  of  about  $600,000,  is  probably  one  of  the 
most  complete  banking  structures  in  the  world. 

The  statement  of  the  bank  issued  March  15,  1905, 
shows  a  capital  stock  of  $4,000,000;  surplus  $5,000,000; 
undivided  profits  of  $1,188,033.16  and  deposits  of  $89,- 
608,121.70. 


ropolitan  bank  in  the  United  States.  Under  his  man- 
agement the  institution  has  attained  financial  eminence 
that  falls  little,  if  at  all,  short  of  the  degree  of  preemi- 
nence. He  was  born  at  Alton,  in  this  state,  November 
3,  1853,  and  is  the  son  of  William  H.  Mitchell,  who  for 
many  years  was  president  of  the  First  National  Bank  of 
that  city,  and  who  was  one  of  the  earliest  and  largest 
stockholders  of  the  Illinois  Trust  and  Savings  Bank, 
with  the  management  of  which  he  is  still  connected. 

Though  the  circumstances  of  his  parents  were  such 
as  to  render  his  earlv  entrance  on   a   business  career 


ILLINOIS    TRUST    AND    SAVINGS    BANK. 


The  officers  of  the  bank  are  as  follows:  John  J. 
Mitchell,  president:  William  H.  Mitchell,  vice-presi- 
dent ;  W.  H.  Reid,  vice-president ;  F.  T.  Haskell,  vice- 
president  ;  Chauncey  Keep,  vice-president ;  B.  M. 
Chattel!,  cashier;  J.  T.  Cooper,  F.  I.  Cooper  and  E.  S. 
Layman,  assistant  cashiers;  William  H.  Henkle,  secre- 
tary ;  F.  M.  Sills,  assistant  secretary. 

John  J.  Mitchell.  It  is  often  said  that  genius  is  not 
hereditary.  If  the  rule  be  sound  as  a  generality,  Mr. 
Mitchell's  career  must  be  taken  as  an  exception  to  it. 
At  the  time  of  his  election  to  the  office  that  he  how 
holds,  that  of  president  of  the  Illinois  Trust  and  Savings 
Bank,  he  was  the  youngest  presiding  officer  of  any  met- 


unnecessary,  the  inherited  financial  tendency  of  Mr. 
Mitchell  was  so  strong  as  to  impel  him  to  follow  in  his 
father's  steps ;  accordingly,  after  a  common  school  edu- 
cation and  a  brief  period  of  study  in  the  Waterville, 
Maine,  Institute,  he  entered  as  messenger  boy  in  the 
bank  of  which  he  is  now  president.  The  step  was  charac- 
teristic— he  doutless  might  have  gone  into  the  bank,  at 
least,  as  clerk,  but  he  preferred  to  make  himself  familiar 
with  every  detail  of  the  business.  His  promotions  were 
gradual,  the  functions  of  teller,  cashier  and  president 
having  been  performed  by  him.  In  addition  to  the 
pressing  duties  of  his  office  in  the  Illinois  Trust  and 
Savings  Bank,  Mr.  Mitchell  acts  as  director  of  the 


THE   CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 


129 


Chicago  Stock  Exchange  and  of  the  Traders'  Insurance 
Company. 

The    Merchants'    Loan    and  Trust   Company.      No 

institution  can  be  more  justly  called  a  represent- 
ative one,  or  is  more  closely  identified  with  the  city's 
financial  prosperity,  than  the  Merchants'  Loan  and 
Trust  Company,  the  oldest  banking  institution  in  the 
state  of  Illinois.  Organized  in  1857,  at  a  time  when  the 
monetary  circulation  of  the  Northwest  consisted  mainly 
of  "wildcat"  currency  of  various  degrees  of  worthless- 
ness,  and  surviving  in  subsequent 
years  disasters  which  proved  finan- 
cial maelstroms  to  hundreds  of  less 
fortunate  organizations,  it  has,  dur- 
ing its  forty-eight  years  of  busy 
existence,  successfully  coped  with 
almost  every  variety  of  calamity 
known  in  the  annals  of  banking. 
The  bank's  doors  were  thrown  open 
for  business  in  May,  1857,  on  the 
first  floor  of  the  old  Board  of  Trade 
Building  at  the  corner  of  Water  and 
La  Salle  streets.  The  state  charter 
fixed  the  capital  stock  at  $500,000, 
an  amount  that  has  since  been  in- 
creased at  various  times  to  $3,000,- 
ooo.  Mr.  John  H.  Dunham  was 
its  first  president,  and  Mr.  A.  J. 
Hammond  its  first  cashier.  The 
thirteen  original  trustees  were  Isaac 
N.  Arnold.  W.  E.  Doggett.  D.  R. 
Holt,  William  B.  Ogden,  John  H. 
Foster,  Walter  L.  Newberry,  Henry 
Farnum,  Jonathan  Burr,  George 
Steele,  J.  H.  Dunham,  F.  B.  Cooley, 
A.  H.  Burley,  and  John  High- 
names  that  must  awaken  a  host  of 
recollections  to  the  Chicago  resi- 
dent of  antebellum  days. 

A  coherent  account  of  the  old 
"wildcat"  or  "stumptail"  currency 
troubles,  in  their  relation  to  the  his- 
tory of  this  bank  from  1857  to  1862, 
would  fill  a  volume.  It  can,  how- 
ever, be  said  that  the  Merchants' 
was  from  the  start  a  pronounced 
and  unyielding  advocate  of  the  ex- 
pulsion of  the  irresponsible  system 
of  banking  which  ultimately  flooded 
the  country  with  so  much  irredeem- 
able currency,  and  inasmuch  as  the 
trustees  possessed  the  courage  to 
shape  the  practical  policy  and 
9 


methods  of  the  bank  in  accordance  with  their  convic- 
tions they  made  enemies.  Their  path  was  anything 
but  a  bed  of  roses,  and  it  is  said  that  more  than  once 
bitter  and  determined  efforts  were  made  to  ''down" 
the  new  institution,  which,  however,  stood  its  ground 
bravely  and  came  through  these  trying  periods  with 
flying  colors. 

Mr.  D.  R.  Holt,  who  had  taken  Mr.  Hammond's 
place  as  cashier,  resigned  in  1862,  and  was  succeeded  by 
Mr.  Lyman  J.  Gage,  later  secretary  of  the  treasury,  and 


Uiiunrftf 


MERCHANTS'   LOAN    AND   TRUST   COMPANY. 


THE  CITY   OF  CHICAGO. 


about  tliis  time  Solomon  A.  Smith  was  elected  president, 
discharging  the  duties  of  that  office  until  his  death  in 
1879.  Charles  Henrotin.  who  followed  Mr.  Gage,  was 
cashier  through  two  calamitous  periods — the  great  fire 
of  1871  and  the  panic  two  years  later.  At  the  time  of  the 
fire  all  the  hooks  were  burned,  but  upon  resuming  busi- 
ness a  few  days  later  the  bank  placed  to  the  credit  of 
each  depositor  as  he  appeared  the  amount  he  claimed  to 
have  had  in  its  keeping  and  over  1,000  accounts  were 
then  reopened  without  a  single  note  of  dissatisfaction. 
So  prosaic  and  commonplace  is  the  routine  of  banking 
ordinarily  that  an  incident  of  this  kind  seems  almost 
dramatic. 

The  Merchants'  seems  to  have  been  a  sort  of  train- 
ing school  for  bankers,  for  not  only  Mr.  Gage  and  Mr. 
Henrotin  received  their  education  behind  its  counters, 
but  Mr.  M.'  D.  Buchanan,  later  cashier  of  the  Commer- 
cial Bank,  Mr.  \Y.  M.  Scudcler,  at  the  time  of  his  death 
cashier  of  the  Hide  and  Leather  Bank,  and  others  who 
have  won  high  places  in  the  financial  world,  were  also 
identified  with  this  institution  at  one  time  or  another. 

The  statement  of  the  Merchants'  Loan  and  Trust 
Company,  dated  March  15,  1905,  shows,  besides  the 
capital  stock  of  $3,000,000,  a  surplus  of  $3,000,000, 
undivided  profits  of  $583,904.06,  and  deposits  of  $51,- 
547,487.68.  The  officers  are  Orson  Smith,  president ; 

E.  D.  Hulbert,  vice-president;  J.  G.  Orchard,  cashier; 

F.  X.  Wilder,  assistant  cashier;  F.  G.  Nelson,  assistant 
cashier  and  manager  of  foreign  exchange  department. 
The  directors  are:  Marshall  Field,  Albert  Keep,  Lambert 
Tree,  Orson  Smith,  Enos  M.  Barton,  Cyrus  H.  McCor- 
mick,  Erskine  M.  Phelps,  Moses  J.  Wentworth,  E.  D. 
Hulbert,   E.   H.   Gary,  T.  J.   Lefens,   Channcey   Keep, 
Clarence  A.  Burley.     The  Merchants'  Loan  and  Trust 
Building,  at  the  northwest  corner  of  Clark  and  Adams 
streets,  is  the  home  of  this  company.    The  building  was 
finished  in  May.  1900,  and  the  Merchants'  occupies  the 
entire  bank  floor  with  the  exception  of  a  portion  at  the 
west   end   of  the   building,   which   is  occupied   by   the 
clearing  house. 

The  American  Trust  and  Savings  Bank  was  organ- 
ized in  1889  by  Gilbert  B.  Shaw,  who  was  its  president 
for  many  years.  It  first  opened  its  doors  on  August  i 
of  that  year  in  the  Owings  building,  at  the  corner 
of  Dearborn  and  Adams  streets.  Two  years  later  it 
moved  to  La  Salle  and  Madison  streets,  remaining  there 
until  its  removal  in  1899  to  its  present  location  in  the 
New  York  Life  building.  Conservative  management 
and  careful  investments  have  enabled  it  to  extend  its 
scope  gradually,  until  now  it  is  one  of  the  foremost 
financial  institutions  in  the  city. 

Besides  transacting  a  general  banking  business  this 
institution  devotes  much  attention,  as  its  name  signifies 


to  its  trust  and  savings  departments.  Its  expansion 
continued  until  its  consolidation  with  the  Federal  Trust 
Company  on  May  29,  1905.  Its  capital  was  then  in- 
creased from  $2,000,000  to  $3,000.000.  Its  surplus  and 
undivided  profits  are  $2,004,229.98,  and  its  deposits  are 
$30,127,616.98. 

On  May  i,  1906,  the  institution  will  occupy  its  own 
building  at  the  northeast  corner  of  Monroe  and  Clark 


AMERICAN    TRUST    AND    SAVINGS    BANK. 

streets,  which  will  be  one  of  the  largest  in  the  city.  The 
building  will  be  eighteen  stories  high,  with  90  feet  on 
Monroe  street  and  125  feet  on  Clark  street.  The  officers 
of  the  bank  are  as  follows:  E.  A.  Potter,  president;  T. 
P.  Phillips,  vice-president ;  James  R.  Chapman,  vice- 
president  ;  John  Jay  Abbott,  vice-president ;  Charles  S. 
Castle,  cashier;  F.  J.  Scheidenhelm,  assistant  cashier; 
Oliver  C.  Decker,  assistant  cashier;  Edwin  L.  \Yagner. 
assistant  cashier;  Frank  H.  Jones,  secretary;  \Yilliam  P, 


THE   CITY   OF  CHICAGO. 


1:51 


Kopf,  assistant  secretary ;  Irving  J.  Shuart,  assistant 
secretary:  George  B.  Calchvell,  manager  bond  depart- 
ment ;  Wilson  W.  Lampert,  auditor.  Its  directors  are 
Joy  Morton,  E.  H.  Gary,  E.  P.  Ripley,  Theodore  P. 
Shonts,  Norman  B.  Ream,  John  F.  Harris,  T.  P. 
Phillips,  W.  H.  McDoel,  Charles  H.  Thorne,  E.  J. 
Buffington,  William  Kent,  V.  A.  Watkins,  G.  B.  Shaw, 
Benjamin  Thomas,  Charles  H.  Deere,  James  R.  Chap- 
man, Edwin  A.  Potter. 

The  Northern  Trust  Company  was  organized 
August  7,  1889.  and  has  taken  its  place  as  one  of  the 
soundest  and  most  conservative  banking  institutions  in 


ooo.  Of  pure  classic. architecture  it  will  be  one  of  the 
most  imposing  structures  in  Chicago.  The  first  story 
will  be  of  massive  layers  of  stone,  forming  a  solid  base 
for  the  Grecian  facade  of  Ionic  style  of  architecture. 
Sixteen  massive  Ionic  columns  will  support  the  cornice. 
The  interior  plan  contemplates  the  following  divi- 
sions: The  first  floor  will  be  reserved  for  the  savings 
department,  with  a  grand  lobby  and  grand  marble  stair- 
way leading  to  the  second  floor,  which  will  be  devoted 
to  the  banking  department :  the  third  floor  will  be  given 
over  to  the  trust  department,  and  the  fourth  floor  will 
be  occupied  partly  by  the  Chicago  Clearing  House,  and 


THE  NORTHERN  TRUST  COMPANY  BANK. 


the  West.  It  has  a  capital  of  $1,500,000  with  a  surplus 
fund  of  $1,000,000,  its  capital  having  been  increased 
July  i,  1905,  from  one  million  to  one  million  and  a 
half.  The  Northern  Trust  Company  has  been  located 
on  the  banking  floor  of  the  Rookery  building,  but  owing 
to  the  steady  increase  of  its  business  it  is  now  (1905) 
erecting  a  building  of  its  own  at  the  northwest  corner 
of  La  Salle  and  Monroe  streets,  upon  the  site  of  the  old 
Bryan  block. 

This  building  will  be  for  the  exclusive  use  of  the 
Northern  Trust  Company,  with  its  main  frontage  of 
190  feet  on  La  Salle  street  and  a  depth  of  73  feet  on 
Monroe.  It  will  comprise  four  stories  with  basement 
and  sub-basement,  and  will  cost  approximately  $750,- 


supply,  storage  and  filing  rooms.  The  convenience  of 
patrons  is  especially  provided  for  and  when  finished  the 
new  building  will  be  one  of  the  handsomest  and  most 
complete  structures  of  its  kind  in  the  city.  At  the  close 
of  business,  August  26,  1905,  the  condition  of  the  bank 
was  as  follows : 

Resources. — Time  loans  on  security,  $5,859,891.04; 
demand  loans  on  security,  $7,012,509.23;  bonds,  $7,- 
698,328.99;  stocks,  $114,815;  real  estate  (northwest 
corner  La  Salle  and  Monroe  streets  for  bank  building), 
$850,000;  due  from  banks,  $6,876,109.84:  checks  for 
clearings,  $760,617.76;  cash  on  hand,  $3,910,665.46. 
Total,  $33,082,937.32. 

Liabilities. — Capital  stock,  $1,500,000;  surplus  fund, 


THE  CITY  OF  CHICAGO. 


$1,000,000;  undivided  profits,  $702,468.78;  dividends 
unpaid,  $330;  interest  reserved,  $97,568.95;  cashiers' 
checks,  $246,707.54;  certified  checks,  $13,509.51; 
demand  deposits,  $16,119,466.27;  time  deposits,  $13,- 
402,886.27.  Total,  $33,082,937.32. 

The  officers  are :  Byron  L.  Smith,  president ;  F.  L. 
Hankey,  vice-president;  Solomon,  A.  Smith,  second 
vice-president;  Thomas  C.  King,  cashier;  Robert 
McLeod,  and  G.  F.  Miller,  assistant  cashiers;  Arthur 
Heurtley,  secretary;  Howard  O.  Edmonds  and  Harold 
H.  Rockwell,  assistant  secretaries;  Edward  C.  Jarvis, 
auditor.  The  directors  are:  A.  C.  Bartlett,  J.  Harley 
Bradley,  William  A.  Fuller,  Marvin  Hughitt,  C.  L. 
Hutchinson,  Martin  A.  Ryerson.  Albert  A.  Sprague, 
Solomon  A.  Smith,  Byron  L.  Smith. 

IN.  W.  Harris  &  Company,  bankers,  of  Chicago, 
New  York  and  Boston,  have  for  their  watchword,  "con- 
servatism.'' This  successful  firm  deals  only  in  high- 
grade  investment  securities,  and  transacts  a  general 
banking  business.  It  was  organized  in  1882  by  the  pres- 
ent senior  partner,  Mr.  Norman  W.  Harris.  The  firm 
has  steadily  increased  its  business,  always  along  ultra- 
conservative  lines,  to  such  an  extent  that  its  sales  of 
bonds  now  exceed  $75,000,000  annually. 

The  success  of  N.  W.  Harris  &  Company,  and  the 
high  esteem  in  which  its  judgment  on  securities  is  held 
by  investors,  is  justified  by  its  record,  of  which  it  is 
jealously  proud.  While  the  firm  does  not  guarantee  the 
payment  of  securities  handled  by  it,  it  stands  ready  to 
devote  its  best  efforts  and  the  ability  of  its  perfect 
organization  to  the  protection  of  its  clients'  interests. 
The  firm  believes  that  the  responsibility  of  a  reliable 
banking  house  should  not  end  with  the  marketing  of  an 
issue  of  bonds.  In  the  event  of  new  and  unexpected 
developments  of  an  unfavorable  character  in  a  prop- 
erty, the  house  should  be  in  a  sufficiently  strong  posi- 
tion to  assume  the  entire  management,  and  to  protect 
the  interest  of  its  clients.  The  knowledge  that  the 
strength  and  influence  of  the  house  will  be  exercised 
in  this  way  is  almost  as  important  to  the  investor  as  the 
ability  and  care  necessary  in  making  original  invest- 
ments. 

The  average  investor  has  neither  time  nor  the  facil- 
ities to  make  a  complete  and  proper  examination  of 
proposed  investments,  and  in  consequence  must  rely 
largely  on  the  judgment  of  his  banker.  Realizing  this 
fact,  the  conscientious  and  successful  banker  should 
have  in  his  employ  tried  and  experienced  experts,  and 
a  business  experience  extending  over  a  period  of  many 
years  covering  times  of  depression  as  well  as  of  financial 
prosperity.  N.  W.  Harris  &  Company  combine  these 
important  elements  of  success.  Their  experience 
extends  over  twenty-two  years,  during  which  time 
occurred  the  financial  panics  in  1893  and  1896.  Mr. 


Harris  was  for  thirteen  years  the  principal  executive 
officer  of  one  of  the  leading  life  insurance  companies 
of  this  country  and  was  largely  responsible  for  its  invest- 
ments. There  are  now  seven  other  active  partners  in 
the  firm,  all  men  of  wide  experience  in  the  business  and 
who  have  been  associated  with  the  house  for  from  ten 
to  twenty  years.  The  firm's  banking  houses  in  Chi- 
cago, New  York  and  Boston  are  each  under  the  direct 
supervision  of  one  or  more  active  members  of  the  firm, 
who  are  assisted  by  an  experienced  and  competent 
corps  of  managers  and  experts  in  each  department  of 
the  business.  The  total  number  of  people  now  giving 


N.  W.   HARRIS. 

their  entire  time  to  the  firm's  business  is  one  hundred 
and  eighty. 

In  addition  to  the  investment  business,  N.  W.  Harris 
&  Company,  in  their  banking  department,  transact  a 
private  banking  business,  pay  interest  on  deposits  which, 
according  to  a  late  statement,  amount  to  $4,926,373.02. 
The  firm  makes  loans  on  collateral,  buys  and  sells  for- 
eign exchange  and  issues  travelers'  letters  of  credit 
available  in  all  parts  of  the  world.  Every  facility  is 
afforded  its  customers  for  the  prompt  transaction  of 
business  in  this  department. 

N.  W.  Harris  &  Company's  Chicago  office  is  on  the 
banking  floor  of  the  Marquette  building.  204  Dearborn 
street. 

Greenebaum  Sons  is  one  of  the  strongest  private 
banking  institutions  in  Chicago.  The  house  was 
founded  in  1877,  and  has  continued  in  business  uninter- 
ruptedly up  to  the  present  time  (1905).  The  banking 


THE  CITY  OF  CHICAGO. 


133 


rooms  are  at  83  and  85  Dearborn  street.  The  members 
of  Greenebaum  Sons  are  Henry  Everett  Greenebaum, 
Moses  E.  Greenebaum  and  James  Eugene  Greenebaum. 
The  father,  Elias  Greenebaum,  is  one  of  the  pioneer 
bankers  of  Chicago  and  had  been  in  the  business  for 
twenty-two  years  when  his  sons  formed  their  banking 
house.  He  still  takes  an  interest  in  affairs  and  main- 
tains an  office  at  their  place  of  business.  The  firm  does 
a  general  banking  and  foreign  exchange  business,  mak- 
ing a  specialty  of  negotiating  loans  on  Chicago  real 
estate  and  of  supplying  investors  with  investment  securi- 
ties, mortgages,  bonds,  etc.  This  firm  is  well  known 
in  all  parts  of  the  world  on  account  of  their  extensive 
foreign  connections. 

Elias  Greenebaum  was  born  at  Eppelsheim,  Gross- 
herzogthum  Hessen,  Germany,  June  24,  1822,  the  son 
of  Jacob  and  Sarah  Greenebaum.  He  was  educated  in 
the  public  schools  and  in  the  agricultural,  commercial 
and  trade  schools  of  Kaiserslautern,  Germany,  and  came 
to  the  United  States  in  September,  1847.  F°r  a  *ew 
months  he  stopped  on  his  way  west  at  Uniontown, 
Ohio,  but  came  to  Chicago,  April  14,  1849,  an(l  at 
present  is  one  of  the  oldest  residents  of  Chicago,  having 
lived  here  over  half  a  century.  He  entered  the  mercan- 
tile business  for  himself  shortly  after  coming  to  Chicago 
and  prospered  from  the  start.  Seven<  years  afterwards 
he  became  a  banker.  In  1860  Mr.  Greenebaum  founded 
the  banking  house  of  Greenebaum  &  Foreman,  of  which 
he  was  the  senior  member  for  a  number  of  years.  When 
the  firm  of  Greenebaum  &  Foreman  was  dissolved  he 
retired  from  active  business.  Mr.  Greenebaum  was 
school  agent  of  Chicago  in  1856  and  is  independent  in 
politics.  He  was  one  of  the  founders  of  Sinai  congre- 
gation. He  has  a  handsome  residence  at  4510  Grand 
boulevard.  He  was  married  March  3,  1852,  to  Miss 
Rosina  Straus.  Their  children  are  Henry  Everett, 
Moses  Ernest,  Emma  E.  (Mrs.  Gutman),  and  James  E. 
Greenebaum. 

Henry  Everett  Greenebaum,  the  oldest  son  of  Elias 
Greenebaum,  has  had  a  wide  experience  in  the  banking 
business.  He  was  born  in  Chicago,  September  i,  1854, 
and  graduated  from  the  Jones  School  in  1867,  and  from 
the  Central  High  School  four  years  later.  He  also 
attended  business  college  the  next  year,  graduating 
from  Bryant  &  Stratton's  in  1872.  He  entered  the 
employ  of  the  First  National  Bank  in  the  spring  of  the 
same  year,  and  the  next  year  went  with  his  father's  firm, 
Greenebaum  &  Foreman,  bankers.  In  order  to  get  a 
wider  experience  of  the  business  he  accepted  positions 
with  New  York  banks  in  1873,  remaining  there  for  four 
years.  On  his  return  to  Chicago  in  1877,  he  organized 
the  banking  firm  of  Greenebaum  Sons.  Since  then  he 
has  occupied  a  prominent  position  in  the  banking,  real 
estate  and  loan  circles,  at  present  being  chairman  of  the 


executive  board  of  the  Chicago  Real  Estate  Loan  Asso- 
ciation, composed  of  the  principal  banks  and  firms  in 
the  business.  He  is  independent  in  politics  and  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Reformed  Jewish  Church.  He  also  belongs 
to  the  Standard,  Ravisloe  Golf  and  French  clubs.  He 
was  married  April  15,  1879,  to  Miss  Helen  F.  Leopold. 
Their  children  are  Carrie  (the  wife  of  Frank  E.  Mandel, 
of  the  firm  of  Mandel  Brothers),  Walter  Jerome  and 
John  G.  The  family  residence  is  at  3337  Michigan 
avenue. 

Moses  Ernest  Greenebaum  was  born  in  Chicago 
March  17,  1858.  He  was  educated  at  the  public  and 
high  schools  of  Chicago.  He  entered  his  father's  bank 
after  graduating  and  was  admitted  to  the  firm  in  1877. 


ELIAS    GREENEBAUM. 

He  became  a  member  of  Greenebaum  Sons  the  same 
year.  To  his  energy  and  aggressive  business  methods 
is  due  much  of  the  success  of  the  house.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the. Chicago  Real  Estate  Board,  the  United 
Hebrew  Charities  and  the  Standard  and  Ravisloe  clubs. 
He  is  a  Republican.  He  was  married  to  Miss  Julia 
Friedman  of  Chicago,  December  23,  1884.  They  have 
three  children,  Eleanor  E.,  Ernest  M.  and  Edgar  M. 
Their  home  is  at  4504  Drexel  boulevard. 

James  Eugene  Greenebaum,  the  third  member  of 
Greenebaum  Sons,  was  born  April  3,  1866.  He  was 
educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Chicago  and  at  Yale 
University,  being  graduated  from  this  institution  with 
the  degree  of  Ph.  B.  in  1886.  He  entered  the  banking 
house  of  Greenebaum  Sons  just  after  his  gradua- 
tion and  was  admitted  as  a  partner  a  few  years  later. 
He  is  a  Republican  in  politics.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Standard  and  Yale  clubs.  He  was  married  to  Miss 


134 


THE   CITY   OP  CHICAGO. 


Amy  B.  Kramer,  September  7,  1893.  They  have  three 
children,  Frederic  J.,  Charles  J.  and  Edith  J.  The 
family  residence  is  at  4508  Grand  boulevard. 

John  Burnett  Russell,  head  of  the  well-known  bank- 
ing firm  of  J.  B.  Russell  &  Company,  was  born  at  Hart- 
wick,  Otsego  County,  New  York,  January  8,  1869.  His 


JOHN  BURNETT   RUSSELL. 

parents  were  John  Emory  and  Belle  (Burnett)  Russell. 
He  was  educated  in  the  grammar  schools  of  his  own 
city  and  later  at  Wyoming  Seminary,  Kingston,  Penn- 
sylvania. 

Mr.  Russell  has  been  in  the  banking  business  since 
1886.  In  that  year  he  went  to  work  for  the  Wyoming 
National  Bank  of  Wilksbarre,  Pennsylvania.  He 
remained  with  this  institution  until  1895  when  he  estab- 
lished the  banking  house  of  J.  B.  Russell  &  Company 
in  Wilksbarre  and  Scranton,  Pennsylvania.  The  busi- 
ness of  the  firm  grew  rapidly  and  houses  were  estab- 
lished in  New  York,  Chicago,  Reading  and  Carbondale. 
Pennsylvania,  Binghamton,  New  York  and  Dayton. 
Ohio.  The  concern  has  financed  a  number  of  extensive 
public  utility  corporations,  the  most  prominent  among 
them  being  the  Illinois  Tunnel  Company  of  Chicago 
and  the  Automatic  Electric  Company,  also  of  this  city. 
The  entire  capital  for  financing  these  two  large  enter- 
prises was  raised  through  J.  B.  Russell  &  Company. 
For  a  long  time,  while  the  tunnels  were  building  in 
Chicago,  there  was  much  speculation  as  to  where  the 
millions  were  coming  from.  In  due  time,  when  the 
enterprise  had  been  carried  to  a  successful  conclusion, 
the  real  backers  were  made  known. 


J.  B.  Russell  &  Company  at  the  present  time  are 
the  financial  representatives  of  a  number  of  large  cor- 
porations and  transact  a  general  banking  and  stock 
exchange  business.  The  associate  partners  of  Mr.  Rus- 
sell are  Albert  G.  Wheeler.  Jr.,  and  John  M.  Shaw  of 
New  York,  both  of  whom  are  members  of  the  New- 
York  Stock  Exchange,  and  Grant  Pelton  of  Scranton, 
Pennsylvania.  The  main  offices  of  J.  B.  Russell  &  Com- 
pany are  at  46  Wall  street,  New  York.  The  Chicago 
offices  are  in  the  Rookery. 

Mr.  Russell  was  married  to  Miss  Fannie  J.  Schooley 
of  West  Pittston,  Pennsylvania,  in  1892.  They  have 
three  children,  Louise,  Joseph  and  John  B.,  Jr.  Mr. 
Russell  is  well  known  in  club  life  in  Chicago,  New  York 
and  Pennsylvania.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Union 
League,  Lawyers'  and  City  Mid-day  clubs  of  New  York ; 
of  the  Calumet,  Midlothian  and  Exmoor  clubs  of  Chi- 
cago, and  of  the  Westmoreland  and  Wyoming  Valley 
Country  Club  of  Wilksbarre,  the  Scranton  Club  of 
Scranton,  Pennsylvania,  and  numerous  other  organ- 
izations. 

A.  P,  Ballou,  capitalist,  is  a  representative  type  of 
the  young,  enterprising  and  progressive  business  men 
who  have  made  Chicago  famous.  Barely  thirty  years 


A.  P.  BALLOU. 

old,  his  position  in  the  world  of  finance  and  business  is 
one  that  is  rarely  attained  by  men  until  they  have  passed 
the  middle  span  of  life,  even  in  hustling,  bustling  Chi- 
cago. Amos  Percy  Ballou  was  born  in  Bradford, 
Miami  County,  Ohio,  October  24,  1874.  His  father. 
Horace  Martin  Ballou,  conducted  and  edited  the  Brad- 


THE   CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 


135 


ford  Free  Press  for  many  years.  When  lie  was  nine 
years  old  his  father  died  and  the  family  moved  to  Cov- 
ington,  Ohio,  where  the  boy  attended  the  common 
schools.  At  the  age  of  fifteen  he  entered  upon  a  course 
of  study  in  the  West  Side  Commercial  School  of 
this  city. 

He  began  his  business  career  with  the  Henry  Sears 
Cutlery  Company,  but  finding  that  uncongenial,  he 
entered  the  real  estate  business  with  E.  F.  Jacobs.  He 
was  given  charge  of  Evergreen  Park  subdivision,  which 
he  conducted  so  ably  that  it  soon  developed  into  a 
thriving  and  beautiful  suburb.  With  characteristic 
energy  Mr.  Ballon  took  a  lively  interest  in  the  affairs  of 
the  village  he  had  helped  to  create.  He  established 
and  edited  the  local  paper,  and  was  chosen  village 
treasurer  on  the  Republican  ticket.  His  real  estate 
transactions  naturally  brought  him  into  close  relations 
with  the  insurance  business,  and  he  was  offered  the 
position  of  general  agent  of  the  Royal  Union  Mutual 
Life  Insurance  Company  of  Des  Moines,  Iowa.  This 
agency  he  successfully  handled  for  two  years,  when  he 
was  induced  to  make  investments  in  some  Butte,  Mon- 
tana, mining  properties.  This  led  him  to  an  investiga- 
tion and  study  of  mines  and  mining  generally,  and 
discovering  in  it  a  pursuit  for  which  he  was  eminently 
fitted,  he  soon  abandoned  all  other  business  and  gave  his 
entire  attention  to  this  line  of  endeavor.  He  is  secre- 
tary and  treasurer  of  the  International  Copper  &  Gold 
Mining  Company,  of  Arizona  and  Mexico;  secretary 
and  treasurer  of  the  Montana  Copper  &  Gold  Mining 
Company  of  Wyoming ;  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the 
Santa  Fe  Copper  &  Gold  Company  of  Arizona  and 
Mexico;  president  of  the  Santa  Cruz  Mining  Company 
and  treasurer  of  the  Southern  Sonora  Development 
Company  of  Mexico,  besides  having  a  close  connection 
and  exercising  a  powerful  influence  in  several  other 
companies. 

To  quote  Mr.  Ballou :  "Old  Mexico  is  the  great- 
est field  of  mineral  wealth  known  to  man." 

In  1894  Mr.  Ballou  married  Clara  May  Ruhl,  of 
Covington,  Ohio.  He  is  connected  with  several  literary 
organizations,  in  which  he  takes  considerable  interest. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Colonial  Club,  a  Mason,  Knight 
Templar  and  Mystic  Shriner.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Forty-first  Street  Presbyterian  Church.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Ballou  have  one  child,  a  daughter,  six  years  old. 

Robert  C.  Sturgeon,  secretary-treasurer  of  the  F.agle 
Mining  &  Improvement  Company,  was  born  near  Pitts- 
burg  in  1862.  He  received  an  academic  education  and 
at  the  early  age  of  sixteen  became  a  teacher  in  the  public- 
schools.  Mr.  Sturgeon  entered  commercir.l  life  at  the 
age  of  eighteen  with  a  prominent  Pittsburg  firm,  and 
in  1885  came  to  Chicago  determined  to  be  "some- 
body." He  had  eminent  success.  He  was  associated 


with  Xelson  Morris  &  Company  for  several  years,  dur- 
ing which  he  took  a  law  course  in  the  night  school  of 
the  Lake  Forest  University.  He  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  in  1896,  and  during  his  subsequent  six  years  of  law 
practice  conducted  successfully  many  important  cases 
in  the  Chicago  and  Cook  County  courts. 

Early  in  the  year  of  1902  Mr.  Sturgeon  became  inter- 
ested in  the  Eagle  Mining  and  Improvement  Company, 
and  at  present  he  holds  the  responsible  position  of  busi- 
ness manager  and  shares  in  the  controlling  interest  of  the 
concern,  which  will  soon  rank  among  the  best  paying 
mines  in  the  world.  The  Eagle  mines  are  by  mining 
experts  considered  on  par  with  the  Homestake  mine 
and  other  bonanzas.  The  company  was  in  need  of  an 


ROBERT    C.    STURGEON. 

energetic  man  to  finance  and  manage  it  when  Mr.  Stur- 
geon entered  the  corporation.  Through  his  efforts  the 
Eagle  Mining  and  Improvement  Company  has  become 
an  assured  success.  Having  satisfied  himself  of  the 
unlimited  possibilities  of  the  mines,  and  ambitious  to 
make  it  one  of  the  foremost  mines  in  the  United  States, 
Mr.  Sturgeon  has  maintained  the  almost  unequaled 
growth  of  the  concern.  At  present  a  plant  with  a  ca- 
pacity of  150  tons  per  day  is  in  full  operation  on  the 
mine,  which  is  located  at  Parsons,  New  Mexico.  Up 
to  the  moment  Mr.  Sturgeon  became  interested  in  the 
mine,  the  thought  of  his  becoming  a  mining  man  never 
occurred  to  him.  Before  he  decided  upon  his  life's  work 
he  visited  the  mining  region  with  expert  engineers  and, 
because  of  the  almost  incredible  reports  of  the  high  qual- 
ity of  the  property,  he  decided  to  devote  his  entire  time 


THE   CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 


to  the  new  enterprise.  The  present  shareholders  com- 
prise a  small  circle  of  prominent  business  men  who 
implicitly  confide  in  the  leadership  and  management  of 
Mr.  Sturgeon,  and  his  partner,  Mr.  Rice. 

The  Parsons  mine  compares  favorably  with  the  larg- 
est in  the  world,  with  its  three  fifty-ton  unit  mills,  which 
means  an  output  rendering  a  net  profit  of  $300  per  day. 

Mr.  Sturgeon  is  a  member  of  the  Illinois  Athletic 
Club  and  is  a  very  popular  man  in  commercial  and  pro- 
fessional circles.  He  declares  he  is  the  "kind  of  a  Demo- 
crat any  citizen  ought  to  be,  as  he  voted  twice  for 
McKinley  and  twice  for  Roosevelt." 

Howard  H.  Hoyt,  western  superintendent  of  the 
Equitable  Life  Assurance  Society,  in  a  few  years  has 
taken  first  rank  in  the  insurance  field.  In  May,  1902, 


HOWARD   H.    HOYT. 

when  he  took  charge  of  the  Chicago  office,  the  entire 
Illinois  business  did  not  exceed  $4,000,000  a  year.  Be- 
fore the  close  of  1904  Chicago  had  passed  the  $2,000,000 
a  month  class  and  headed  the  list  for  the  month  of  all 
the  society's  agencies  in  the  United  States. 

It  is  difficult  to  overestimate  the  importance  of  this 
achievement,  one  of  the  greatest  in  the  history  of  life 
insurance.  But  great  things  were  expected  of  Mr. 
Hoyt.  There  were  far  older  men  in  insurance  work. 
There  were  men  of  greater  experience,  but  Mr.  Hoyt 
had  the  reputation  of  doing  things.  In  two  years,  be- 
fore coming  to  Chicago,  he  had  increased  the  volume 
of  business  in  Wisconsin  from  $380.000  to  $3.000,000 
a  year,  which  in  itself  was  a  notable  achievement. 

When  the  officers  of  the  society  looked  around  for  a 
man  who  could  raise  Illinois  from  the  dead,  it  was 


inevitable  that  they  should  select  the  leader  who  had 
worked  such  a  miracle  in  Wisconsin.  At  this  time, 
May,  1902,  the  entire  volume  of  Illinois  business  did 
not  exceed  $4,000,000  a  year,  although  the  Chicago 
field  is  naturally  one  of  the  richest  in  the  United  States. 
In  the  monthly  statement  showing  the  relative  rank 
of  the  fifty  leading  Equitable  agencies  in  the  country, 
up  to  this  time  Chicago  rarely,  if  ever,  appeared. 

The  wisdom  of  Mr.  Hoyt's  selection  was  at  once 
apparent.  The  first  month  after  his  appointment  to  so 
responsible  a  position  Chicago  took  its  place  on  the 
fifty  list,  never  again  to  be  ousted.  Then  the  agency 
began  to  move  steadily  and  swiftly  toward  the  top. 
In  less  than  one  year  the  volume  of  business  doubled. 
Two  strenuous  years  passed,  and  this  agency,  whose 
annual  business  had  been  only  $4,000,000,  took  its  place 
in  the  $2,000,000  a  month  class.  Before  the  close  of 
the  year  1904,  Chicago  headed  the  list  for  the  month 
and  when  the  report  of  the  year's  business  was  finally 
made,  Chicago  actually  led  all  the  agencies  of  the 
United  States.  Mr.  Hoyt  had  "made  good,"  to  use 
an  expressive  colloquialism,  and  Chicago  had  come 
into  its  own. 

Even  a  superficial  student  of  these  changes  must 
attribute  the  enormous  growth  of  Chicago  business 
largely  to  the  personality  of  Mr.  Hoyt.  That  he  is  an 
able  organizer  and  a  good  judge  of  men  is  evident, 
talents  greatly  needed  in  perfecting  the  Illinois  organi- 
zation. But  the  real  secret  of  his  strength  seems  to  be 
the  spirit  of  loyalty  which  he  has  been  able  to  infuse 
into  the  men,  from  the  general  manager  to  the  humblest 
salesman  in  the  field. 

In  his  Wisconsin  work  he  showed  still  another  side 
of  his  genius.  Much  of  the  increase  in  the  volume  of 
business  there  was  due  to  his  personal  efforts.  Al- 
though a  comparatively  new  man  in  the  work,  he  made 
a  record  for  writing  insurance  second  to  none  in  the 
United  States.  There,  too,  he  established  the  same 
personal  relations  with  his  men.  When  he  came  to 
leave  the  field  to  take  the  superintendency  in  Chicago 
there  was  a  notable  gathering  in  Milwaukee  at  which 
the  retiring  manager  was  presented  with  a  beautiful 
loving  cup,  as  evidence  of  the  esteem  of  his  associates. 
On  Christmas  eve,  1904,  an  elegant  gold  Swiss  watch, 
appropriately  engraved,  was  given  to  him  by  the  men 
who  have  been  accomplishing  such  wonders  under  his 
leadership. 

The  remarkable  rise  of  Mr.  Hoyt  in  the  insurance 
firmament  demonstrates  what  can  be  done  by  an  earnest 
consecration  of  talent  to  this  great  work.  He  was 
born  in  Madison,  Wisconsin,  May  29,  1857.  His  ele- 
mentary education  in  the  public  schools  was  followed 
by  a  course  in  the  University  of  Wisconsin  and  a  sub- 
sequent course  in  the  law  school  of  the  same  institution. 


THE   CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 


137 


After  his  graduation,  in  1879,  ne  practiced  law  five 
years  in  Wausau,  Wisconsin.  He  then  removed  to 
Milwaukee  and  established  an  original  credit  system. 
In  1898,  becoming  convinced  of  the  unusual  opportuni- 
ties in  life  assurance  work,  he  accepted  an  appointment 
as  general  agent  for  the  Northwestern  Mutual  Life  In- 
surance Company.  Such  was  his  record  that  in  two 
years  the  Equitable  Life  made  him  general  manager  for 
the  state  of  Wisconsin  and  northern  Michigan. 

Now,  as  the  western  superintendent  of  the  strongest 
financial  institution  on  earth,  he  is  in  the  fullness  of 
his  powers  and  at  the  outset  of  his  career.  The  society 
secured  new  quarters  in  the  magnificent  First  National 
Bank  building  and  in  May,  1905,  took  possession  of 
the  finest  offices  in  the  West. 

Mr.  Hoyt  is  also  widely  known  in  insurances  circles 
because  of  his  contributions  to  insurance  literature. 
His  published  lecture.  The  Making  of  An  Insurance 
Salesman,  delivered  at  the  Association  Auditorium  in 
Chicago,  and  his  series  of  pamphlets  on  insurance 
topics  have  been  in  great  demand  by  managers  and 
field  men  in  all  parts  of  the  United  States. 

The  Federal  Life  Insurance  Company.  For  many 
years  the  financial  and  commercial  giants  of  this 
great  city  have  desired  the  establishment  of  a 
legal  reserve  life  insurance  company.  They  realized  it 
would  be  an  influential  factor  in  the  growth  and  develop- 
ment and  prosperity  of  the  large  and  rapidly  developing 
area  of  country  tributary  to  Chicago.  They  realized 
that  the  influence  which  the  great  life  insurance  com- 
panies of  New  York  City  had  exercised  upon  the  finan- 
cial supremacy  of  that  city  would  be  duplicated  by  the 
establishment  in  Chicago  of  a  legal  reserve  company 
which  would  command  the  confidence  and  support  of 
the  general  public.  Many  meetings  were  held  by  our 
public  spirited  financiers  with  the  view  of  establishing 
such  a  company.  These  meetings  developed  the  fact 
that  great  ability,  zeal,  continuous  effort  and  fidelity  to 
such  a  company  if  established  were  necessary  in  order 
to  place  the  company  in  the  commanding  position  which 
they  desired,  and  in  order  that  the  company  should  have 
the  unquestioned  confidence,  the  unqualified  support 
and  the  liberal  patronage  of  the  general  public. 

In  1900,  after  very  careful  consideration,  the  Federal 
Life  Insurance  Company  was  organized  as  a  legal 
reserve  company,  untainted  with  any  of  the  erroneous 
ideas  of  assessmentism,  and  so  carefully  were  its  officers 
and  representatives  selected,  and  so  ably  and  faithfully 
have  they  exercised  the  trusts  reposed  in  them,  that  the 
company  from  its  incipiency  has  commanded  the  confi- 
dence and  patronage  of  the  insurance  buying  public  to 
such  an  extent  that  its  success  has  been  almost  phe- 
nomenal. December  31,  1904,  at  the  end  of  its  fifth 


year  (being  a  little  more  than  four  and  a  half  years  of 
actual  operation),  the  company  has  accomplished  more 
than  many  of  its  larger  and  older  competitors  in  from 
ten  to  thirty  years  of  their  existence.  At  the  date  in 
question  it  had  over  $8,000,000  of  insurance  in  force, 
over  $700.000  of  assets  and  a  rapidly  increasing  surplus. 
It  is  rapidly  increasing  its  able  representatives,  and  dur- 
ing each  month  of  the  present  year  is  writing  approxi- 
mately 200  per  cent  more  of  insurance  than  it  wrote 
during  the  corresponding  month  of  last  year. 

The  Federal  never  for  a  minute  has  deviated  a  single 
iota  from  correct  underwriting  principles.  It  has  "hewn 
strictly  to  the  line"  that  has  been  approved  by  time-tried 
actuarial  science,  and  as  a  result  is  stable  from  the  bot- 


I.  M.  HAMILTON. 

torn  of  its  foundation  up.  The  company  has  made  a 
specialty  of  paying  all  just  claims  promptly  and  imme- 
diately upon  receipt  of  completed  proofs  of  death.  The 
investments  of  the  company  have  been  made  with  great 
care,  and  its  assets  are  worth  at  least  one  hundred  cents 
on  the  dollar. 

Senator  Isaac  Miller  Hamilton,  who  was  born  in 
Iroquois  County,  Illinois,  and  resided  within  four  miles 
of  his  birthplace  until  1889,  when  he  removed  to  this 
city,  is  one  of  the  best  known  and  liked  lawyers  and 
bankers  in  this  state.  Energetic,  forceful  and  consider- 
ate, he  surrounds  himself  with  able  men  and  always 
makes  conspicuous  successes  of  his  efforts.  Upon  the 
organization  of  the  Federal  he  accepted  the  presidency 
of  the  company,  and  has  devoted  his  entire  time  and 
talents  to  its  service  ever  since.  Associated  with  Presi- 


138 


THE  CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 


dent  Hamilton  in  the  management  of  the  company  are 
the  following  strong  and  able  men :  C.  A.  Atkinson, 
vice-president  and  counsel ;  George  M.  Bard,  second 
vice-president;  S.  H.  Levy,  fourth  vice-president  and 
assistant  superintendent  of  agencies ;  R.  M.  Wilbur,  sec- 
retary; W.  E.  Brimstin,  assistant  secretary;  J.  L.  Hamil- 
ton, treasurer;  E.  M.  Potter,  assistant  treasurer;  Miles 
M.  Dawson,  consulting  actuary ;  J.  P.  Mahoney,  assist- 
ant counsel:  F.  I..  B.  Jenney,  medical  director;  Jasper 
E.  Brady,  superintendent  of  agencies.  The  manage- 
ment of  the  company  has  been  economical,  progressive 
and  courageous,  and  the  results  secured  are  highly  grat- 
ifying to  the  policyholders,  stockholders  and  officials. 

The  success  of  the  company  illustrates  what  the  Chi- 
cago "I  will"  spirit,  combined  with  able,  earnest,  con- 
tinuous effort,  will  accomplish.  The  company  always 
has  believed  in  the  thought  that  the  la- 
borer is  worthy  of  his  hire,  and  has  had 
no  "soft  snaps"  anywhere  for  anyone. 
The  company's  policy  has  been  to  pay 
low  salaries,  give  small  commissions,  in- 
vite publicity  and  give  to  the  policy 
holder  the  greatest  returns  possible  for 
his  investment.  The  company's  head- 
quarters always  have  been  in  the  Mar- 
quette  building.  Dearborn  and  Adams 
streets,  and  there  the  work  of  the  agen- 
cies in  the  various  parts  of  the  country- 
is  directed.  The  growth  of  the  business 
has  compelled  the  company  to  occupy 
additional  space  from  time  to  time  asi 
the  necessary  employees  have  in- 
creased. There  is  no  busier  center  in 
this  busy  city  than  the  home  office  of 
the  Federal  Life  Insurance  Company. 

The  company  has  a  paid-up  capital 
of  $150.000,  of  which  amount  $100,000 
is  and  always  has  been  on  deposit  with 
the  State  Insurance  Department,  as  an 
initial  protection  to  its  policy  holders. 
The  officers  of  the  Federal,  who  have 
labored  so  hard  for  the  success  of  the 
company,  feel  entirely  justified  in  assert- 
ing, with  a  great  deal  of  pleasure,  that 
there  is  no  better  company  on  earth, 
none  which  issues  better  policy  con- 
tracts, none  which  pays  its  death  claims 
more  promptly,  none  in  which  the  pol- 
icy holder  may  carry  with  more  safety 
his  protection  for  his  loved  ones  or  his 
investment  for  himself. 

The  National  Life  Insurance  Com- 
pany of  the  United  States  of  America. 
The  growth  of  the  National  Life  In- 


surance  Company,  whose  home  office  is  in  Chicago, 
in  the  National  Life  building,  has  been  surpris- 
ingly rapid.  The  most  marked  progress  has  been  made 
under  the  present  management,  which  dates  from  Feb- 
ruary, 1904.  The  National  Life  was  established  in 
1868;  up  to  1900  its  growth  wras  gradual.  In  1900  its 
assets  were  but  $2,335.000,  and  its  insurance  in  force 
a  trifle  over  $14,000,000.  Two  years  later  these  items 
had  increased  to  $3,000,000  and  $24,400,000  respect- 
ively. At  the  close  of  1903  the  assets  were  $4,700,000 
and  the  insurance  in  force  $40,000,000.  After  the 
election  of  P.  M.  Starnes  as  president,  measures  were 
taken  to  push  the  company,  and  the  following  year, 
while  the  insurance  in  force  had  only  increased  to 
$42,000,000,  the  assets  were  $5,250,000,  in  round 
figures.  The  premium  income  increased  from  $338,000 


Mill 

a  H  in 


NATIONAL    LIFE    BUILDING. 


THE  CITY  OF  CHICAGO. 


139 


in  1900  to  $1,690,000  in  1904;  and  the  amount  paid  to 
policy  holders  increased  from  $164.000  to  $500.000  for 
the  same  years. 

The  assets  of  the  National  Life  are  represented  by 
strong  collateral.  The  aggregate  outstanding  first 
mortgage  loans,  the  safest  form  of  investment  and 
upon  which  better  rates  of  interest  are  paid  in  the 
West  than  the  East,  was  slightly  over  $1,600,000 
in  December,  1904,  which  sum  was  secured  by 
property  valued  at  over  $5,000,000.  The  bonds  and 
stocks,  on  the  same  date,  had  a  market  value  of  $2,480,- 

000.  The  remaining  assets,  valued  at  $871,000,  con- 
sisted of  cash  and  miscellaneous  loans  to  policy  holders. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  current  year  the  company's 
policy  holders  numbered  39,355:  of  this  number  15,465 
were  in  Illinois,  and  over  n,ooo  in  the  city  of  Chicago. 
The  premium  income  in  Illinois  alone  was  $471,800  for 
1904,  an  increase  of  $96,000  over  the  previous  year. 
The  total  income  from  all  sources  during  the  year  was 
$1.968,000  for  1904,  and  the  total  disbursements  only 
$1,289,000. 

As  can  be  seen  from  the  figures,  the  company's 
growth  has  been  healthiest  since  the  accession  of  Mr. 
Starnes  to  the  presidency.  Mr.  Starnes  is  a  native  of 
Hancock  county,  Illinois,  where  he  was  born  January 

1,  1863.    He  received  a  public,  high  school  and  business 
college  education,  and  then  studied  law.     After  practic- 
ing in  Kansas  for  nine  years  he  entered  the  insurance 
business,  accepting  an  agency  for  one  of  the  big  eastern 
companies.     After  becoming  state  manager  for  several 
concerns,  he  organized  the  National  Life  &  Trust  Com- 
pany of  Des  Moines,  Iowa.     In  1903  this  was  merged 
with   the   National   Life,   Mr.    Starnes   becoming  vice- 
president  and  general  manager  of  the  united  companies. 
In  February,   1904,  he  was  made  president.     Though 
one  of  the  youngest,  Mr.  Starnes  is  recognized  to  be  one 
of  the  ablest,  insurance  men  in  the  country. 

A.  M.  Johnson,  the  vice-president  and  treasurer,  is 
a  young  man.  He  was  graduated  from  Cornell  Univer- 
sity in  1895.  He  was  associated  with  his  father  in 
western  railroad  interests  for  a  number  of  years.  He 
became  affiliated  with  the  National  Life  in  1902,  when 
he  purchased  a  block  of  the  stock.  He  is  connected 
with  a  number  of  big  enterprises  in  Chicago.  Julian 
C.  Harvey,  the  second  vice-president,  son  of  the  late 
Augustus  Ford  Harvey,  the  eminent  actuary,  was  con- 
nected with  the  Missouri  insurance  department,  and  was 
assistant  secretary  of  the  Covenant  Mutual  Life  for  seven 
years.  He  is  a  graduate  of  Washington  University  of 
St.  Louis  and  an  actuary  by  profession.  Robert  E. 
Sackett,  secretary,  is  a  native  of  Pittsford,  New  York. 
He  was  secretary  of  the  Iowa  Life  Insurance  Company 
from  1894  to  1900,  and  secretary  of  the  National  Life 
since  the  latter  date.  The  board  of  directors  of  the  Na- 


tional Life  follows :  Edward  A.  Shedd,  director,  Corn 
Exchange  bank,  Chicago ;  Albert  M.  Johnson,  president. 
Fidelity  Safe  Deposit  Company,  of  Chicago,  and  director 
of  Broadway  Savings  &  Trust  Company,  Cleveland ; 
Charles  B.  Shedd,  director,  Knickerbocker  Ice  Com- 
pany, Chicago ;  George  A.  Gilbert,  manager  Employers' 
Liability  Assurance  Corporation ;  Abner  Smith,  former 
judge  of  the  circuit  court,  Chicago ;  James  H.  Stowell, 


P.  M.  STARNES. 

physician,  Chicago;  Stewart  Goodrell,  ex-insurance 
commissioner  of  Iowa ;  P.  M.  Starnes,  Julian  C.  Har- 
vey and  Robert  E.  Sackett. 

The  home  of  the  National  Life,  at  159  La  Salle 
street,  is  one  of  the  handsomest  office  buildings  in  the 
United  States.  It  is  the  center  of  the  Chicago  insurance 
world,  housing  more  insurance  concerns  than  any 
other  building  in  the  city.  The  National  Life  occupies 
the  entire  ninth  floor. 

Joseph  H.  Lenehan,  general  agent  for  the  Phoenix 
Insurance  Company  of  Brooklyn  and  a  well-known 
figure  among  the  Chicago  underwriters,  was  born  at 
Dubuque,  Iowa,  where  he  received  his  early  education 
in  the  public  schools.  He  entered  the  insurance  busi- 
ness there  in  1880  as  local  agent.  Five  years  later  he 
was  made  manager  of  the  Will  County  Insurance  Com- 
pany. From  1887  to  1892  he  was  Illinois  state  agent  for 
the  Insurance  Company  of  North  America  and  the 
Pennsylvania  Fire.  After  assisting  in  the  organization 
of  the  Palatine's  western  department,  with  which  he 
was  identified  until  1898,  he  was  appointed  assistant 
manager  of  the  western  department  of  the  North  British 


140 


THE  CITY   OF  CHICAGO. 


and  Mercantile.  In  July,  1899,  he  joined  the  Phoenix 
as  assistant  general  agent,  becoming  general  agent  in 
May,  1900. 

Mr.  Lenehan  was  married  in  1883  to  Margaret  I.. 
Littleton  of  Dubuque.     They  have  three  children  liv- 


JOSEPH  H.  LENEHAN. 

ing,  Margaret  L.,  Francis  L.  and  Mary  Calesta  Lene- 
han. They  reside  at  4515  Greenwood  avenue.  Mr. 
Lenehan  is  a  member  of  the  Chicago  Athletic  Associa- 
tion, the  Union  League  Club,  the  Washington  Park 
Club,  the  Kenwood  Club  and  the  Glenview  Golf  Club. 

J.  Elliott  Jennings,  president  of  the  real  estate  com- 
pany that  bears  his  name,  and  one  of  the  most  successful 
operators  in  Chicago,  was  born  April  5,  1869,  in  the 
extreme  backwoods  of  Arkansas,  in  a  little  log  house 
about  twelve  or  fourteen  feet  square,  and  worked  on  a 
farm  during  his  early  life.  At  the  age  of  seven  he 
plowed  corn,  split  rails  at  ten,  and  at  the  age  of  eleven 
removed  with  his  parents  to  Eureka  Springs,  Arkansas. 
There  the  drudgery  of  farm  work  was  replaced  by  that 
of  sawing,  splitting  and  hauling  wood,  for  which  his 
earlier  experience  had  adapted  him.  When  he  reached 
the  age  of  fourteen  he  sought  for  more  lucrative 
employment  and  started  clerking  in  a  store  at  Eureka 
Springs. 

This  was  too  commonplace  for  him,  howrever,  and 
he  went  with  some  others  to  Carterville,  Missouri,  and 
worked  in  the  mines  for  a  time.  He  then  returned  to 
Arkansas  and,  at  the  age  of  seventeen,  entered  the  State 
University  of  Arkansas  at  Fayetteville. 

He  came  north  in  1889,  and  engaged  in  various  pur- 


suits, finally  entering  the  office  of  one  of  Chicago's 
leading  real  estate  firms.  After  having  thoroughly 
familiarized  himself  with  the  business,  he  started  in  the 
real  estate,  renting  and  loan  business  on  his  own 
account  at  100  Washington  street,  Chicago,  in  1894. 
In  the  same  year  he  was  married  to  Miss  Mae  DaMond 
at  Terre  Haute,  Indiana.  After  several  years  of  strenu- 
ous work  in  the  real  estate,  renting  and  loan  business  at 
100  Washington  street,  he  was  selected,  as  one  of  the 
most  competent  and  versatile  real  estate  men  in  Chi- 
cago, to  take  the  management  of  the  real  estate  and  real 
estate  loan  department  of  one  of  Chicago's  down-town 
banks.  Mr.  Jennings  consolidated  his  business  with 
that  of  the  bank  and  managed  the  real  estate  loan 
department  on  a  partnership  basis  for  several  years. 

In  1903,  having  tried  out  some  of  his  theories  con- 
cerning real  estate  loans  and  having  found  them  worka- 
ble, he  organized  and  incorporated  the  Jennings  Real 
Estate  Loan  Company,  of  which  he  is  president  and  is 
the  controlling  factor.  The  Jennings  Real  Estate  Loan 
Company  is  the  most  progressive  and  ably  managed 
institution  of  its  kind  in  the  West. 

Mr.  Jennings  lives  in  Evanston,  has  one  son  ten 
years  of  age,  and  is  a  member  of  all  the  Evanston  clubs, 


J.    ELLIOTT   JENNINGS. 

and  also  the  Glenview  Golf  Club.  He  is  an  expert 
golfer,  a  good  horseman  and  an  automobilist.  He  is  a 
good  example  of  what  can  be  done  by  forcible,  energetic 
and  honest  effort.  Mr.  Jennings  is  only  thirty-six 
years  of  age,  but  he  has  accomplished  more  in  a  busi- 
ness way,  perhaps,  than  many  men  have  done  in  a  life- 
time. 


CHAPTER   XX. 


BOARD 

O  F 

TRADE. 

HE  Board  of  Trade  typifies  Chi- 
cago as  no  other  institution  in 
the  city.  It  has  made  Chicago  the 
food  supply  center  of  the  world.  It 
is  the  main  factor  in  fixing  the 
prices  of  grain  and  provisions  for 
the  civilized  nations  of  the  earth. 
Its  name  is  synonymous  with  en- 
ergy and  progress.  To  the  move- 
ment started  over  half  a  century 
ago  by  the  founders  of  the  Board  of  Trade  may  be 
traced  the  commercial  greatness  of  Chicago.  As  the 
gateway  for  the  flood  of  products  from  the  farms  and 
ranges  of  the  Mississippi  Valley  and  the  West,  the  city 
stands  as  a  monument  to  the  foresight  of  the  founders 
and  the  energy  and  integrity  of  their  followers. 
Through  the  same  gateway  sweeps  the  flood  of  com- 
merce that  supplies  the  rich  markets  created  by  the 
granger  wealth,  and  makes  Chicago  rank  even  greater, 
as  the  chief  distributing  point  of  the  nation. 

The  Chicago  Board  of  Trade  had  its  beginning  on 
March  13,  1848,  when  a  group  of  business  men  gathered 
for  the  purpose  of  organizing  an  exchange  by  which 
they  would  be  able  to  control  and  regulate  their  business 
affairs.  From  that  date  on,  the  Board  of  Trade  has 
been  a  distinctive  feature  and  influence  in  the  business 
life  of  Chicago.  The  following  firms  signed  the  call  for 
the  first  meeting  of  fifty-five  years  ago :  Wadsworth, 
Dyer  &  Chapin,  Geo.  Steele,  I.  H.  Burch  &  Co.,  Gurnee, 
Hayden  &  Co.,  H.  H.  Magie  &  Co.,  Neff  &  Church, 
John  H.  Kinzie,  Norton,  Walker  &  Co.,  DeWolf  &  Co., 
Thos.  Richmond,  Thos.  Hale,  Chas.  Walker  and  Ray- 
mond Gibbs  &  Co.  As  a  result  of  the  meeting  resolu- 
tions were  drawn  up  and  adopted,  setting  forth  the 
benefits  to  be  derived  from  a  Board  of  Trade,  and  the 
need  for  such  an  organization.  Committees  were 
appointed  to  effect  the  organization  and  a  meeting  was 

141 


held  in  April,  at  which  resolutions  and  by-laws  were 
adopted.  Officers  were  elected  as  follows :  Thos.  Dyer, 
president :  Chas.  Walker  and  John  P.  Chapin,  vice- 
presidents;  W.  L.  Whiting,  secretary,  and  Isaac  H. 
Burch,  treasurer.  The  first  board  of  directors  follows: 
Gurdon  S.  Hubbard,  Elisha  S.  Wadsworth,  Thomas 
Richmond,  John  Rogers,  Horatio  G.  Loomis,  George 
F.  Foster,  Richard  C.  Bristol,  John  H.  Dunham, 
Thomas  Dyer,  George  A.  Gibbs,  John  H.  Kinzie,  Cyre- 
nius  Beers,  Walter  S.  Gurney,  Josiah  H.  Reed,  Edward 
K.  Rogers,  Isaac  H.  Burch,  Augustus  H.  Burley,  John 
S.  Read,  William  B.  Ogden,  Orrington  Lunt,  Thomas 
Hale,  Edward  H.  Hadduck,  Isaac  V.  Germain,  Laurin 
P.  Hilliard. 

The  roll  of  members  for  the  first  year  contains 
names  that  have  become  famous  in  the  history  of  the 
citv.  It  follows : 


Beals,    Joseph    R. 
Beers,  Cyrenius 
Blaikie,   Andrew 
Brand,   Alexander 
Bristol,  Richard  C. 
Brown,  S.  Lockwood 
Burch,   Isaac   H. 
Burley,   Augustus   H. 
Carpenter,   James    H. 
Carter,   Thomas   B. 
Case,  J.  R. 
Chapin,  John  P. 
Clarke,  W.   H. 
Cobb,  Zenas  Jr. 
DeWolf,  A.  V.  G. 
DeWolf,    William    F. 
Dodge,  John  C. 
Drew,  George  C. 
Dunham,    John    H. 
Dyer,  Thomas 
Foster,  George  F. 
Foster,  Jabez  H. 
Gage,   Jared 
Germain,  Isaac  V. 
Gibbs,  George  A. 
Gurney,     Walter     S. 
Hadduck,  Edward  H. 
Haines,  John  C. 


Hale,   Thomas 
Hardy,  Isaac 
Harmon,  C.  L. 
Harrison,    H.    H. 
Higginson,   Geo.   M. 
High,  John  Jr. 
Hilliard,  L.   P. 
Hotchkiss,   J.    P. 
Hubbard,  Gurdon  S. 
Humphrey,    D. 
King,  John  Jr. 
Kinzie,   John   H. 
Laflin,    Matthew 
Loomis,    H.    G. 
Lunt,    Orrington 
Marsh,  John  L. 
Marsh,  Sylvester 
Morgan,   T.   S. 
Neely,  Albert 
Ogden,  Wm.  B. 
Pardee,  Theron 
Parker,  Thos.  L. 
Payson,  H.  R. 
Pearson,  John 
Peck,  James 
Raymond,    B.    W. 
Read,  John   S. 


Reed,  Josiah   H. 
Richmond,  Allen 
Richmond,   Thomas 
Robb,  G.  A. 
Rochester,   Jas.    H. 
Rogers,   E.    K. 
Rogers,    John 
Rumsey,  Julian  S. 
Russell,  J.   B.   F. 
Ryerson,    Joseph    T. 
Sherman,   O. 
Shoemaker,    Jno.    W. 
Smith,   George 
Smith,  J.   A. 
Stearns,  M.  C. 
Steel,    George 
Stockbridge,    F.    B. 
Thompson,   Thomas 
Throop,   Amos   G. 
Wadsworth,    E.    S. 
Walker,   Almond 
Walker,     Charles 
Walter,  Joel  C. 
Whitcomb,   T. 
Whitney,  W.  L. 
Winn,  James 
Winslow,  H.  J. 


Sessions  of  the  Board  were  held  from  then  on  daily 
in  a  small  office  about  twenty  feet  square  at  8  Dear- 


CITY    dF    CHICAGO. 


born  street.     The  trading  hour  was  between  eleven  and 
twelve  o'clock. 

There  were  no  railroads  and  very  little  lake  traffic 
at  that  time,  most  of  the  produce  and  grain  arriving  in 
the  city  by  wagons.  Trading  on  the  new  exchange  was 
for  this  reason  very  light,  and  transactions  far  between. 
The  opening  of  the  Illinois  and  Michigan  canal  brought 
a  larger  grain  growing  territory  in  touch  with  Chicago, 


was  far  from  satisfactory,  and  the  members  decided  to 
make  an  effort  to  increase  and  facilitate  it  by  getting 
telegraphic  communication  with  eastern  markets.  The 
trading  hour  was  changed  to  nine  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing, and  new  and  larger  quarters  were  secured  on  the 
corner  of  Fifth  avenue  and  South  Water  street.  During 
the  next  year  a  further  advance  was  made  by  having 
the  Board  of  Trade  incorporated.  This  temporary  boom 


BOARD   OF   TRADE    BUILDING. 


and  caused  a  large  boom  in  the  shipments  in  wheat  and 
corn  to  the  city.  Not  long  after  this  the  Galena  &  Chi- 
cago Union  Railroad  started  in  business,  and  brought 
more  shipments  here.  The  first  year,  however,  of  the 
Board  of  Trade  \vas  a  quiet  and  uneventful  one.  At 
the  first  annual  meeting  in  April,  1849,  a'l  tne  °'d 
officers  were  elected,  excepting  W.  L.  \Yhiting,  in  whose 
place  John  C.  Dodge  became  secretary. 

The  nature  and  the  bulk  of  the  business  the  first  year 


was,  however,  short-lived,  and  during  the  next  year,  in 
1851,  little  interest  was  taken  in  the  new  exchange.  In 
fact,  days  would  pass  when  not  a  single  member  would 
attend.  Various  expedients  were  adopted  to  stimulate 
interest.  One  of  these  was  to  set  up  a  free  lunch. 
Liberal  supplies  of  beer,  cheese  and  crackers  made  the 
exchange  for  a  time  quite  popular,  and  the  attendance 
was  comparatively  large.  Some  of  the  present  members 
still  recall  the  free  lunch  campaign,  and  have  lived  to  see 


THE    CITY    Or    CHICAGO. 


143 


the  day  when  memberships  of  the  Board  are  worth 
$4,500,  and  the  floor,  and  even  the  visiting  galleries,  are 
crowded  daily. 

Things  continued  in  a  rather  perfunctory  way  until 
the  fourth  annual  meeting  in  April,  1853.  The  mem- 
bership roll  at  that  time  contained  fifty-three  names. 
Another  year  of  struggle  followed,  but  in  1854  the 
exchange  came  into  its  own.  The  wave  of  prosperity 
that  started  at  that  time  has  continued  ever  since.  The 
railroads  began  to  build  into  Chicago  and  the  lake  car- 
riers rapidly  grewr  in  number.  The  settlement  and 
cultivation  of  millions  of  acres  to  the  west  and  northwest 
and  the  geographical  position  of  the  city  at  the  head  of 
the  lakes  have  all  contributed  to  make  Chicago  the 
greatest  grain  and  produce  market  in  the  world.  The 
first  shipment  of  wheat  in  1838  comprised  78  bushels. 
In  twenty  years  the  trade  had  increased  to  8,500,000 
bushels.  The  first  shipment  brought  38  cents  a  bushel. 
The  highest  price  between  this  and  1845  was  55  cents, 
while  the  average  price  for  the  next  nine  years  was 
close  to  60  cents  a  bushel.  The  Crimean  war  sent  the 
prices  for  American  grain  soaring.  In  1854,  1855  and 
1856,  the  prices  went  to  over  $1.00  a  bushel,  rising  as 
high  as  $1.31  at  one  time. 

The  exchange  moved  its  quarters  in  1855  to  the 
corner  of  South  Water  and  La  Salle  streets.  It  occupied 
the  entire  third  floor,  and  during  the  next  year  167  new 
members  were  added.  The  trading  in  futures  \vas 
begun,  but  it  was  hardly  what  might  be  called  a  specu- 
lative trade.  In  1859  another  boom  struck  the  wheat 
trade.  The  Austro-Sardinian  war  sent  the  prices  for 
red  winter  wheat  soaring  to  $1.73,  and  for  spring 
wheat  to  $1.30.  This  was  the  real  beginning  of  the 
boom  times  for  the  Chicago  Board  of  Trade.  '  Grain 
and  produce  began  to  pour  into  Chicago  in  large  and 
ever-increasing  quantities.  The  establishment  of  the 
stockyards  and  packing  houses  added  to  the  growth  of 
the  Board  of  Trade.  The  city  was  also  rapidly  advancing 
in  population  and  commercial  importance.  About  this 
time  the  Board  of  Trade  moved  to  the  second  floor  of 
the  Chamber  of  Commerce  building  at  La  Salle  and 
Washington  streets.  Then  followed  the  Civil  war 
period  in  which  the  wild  speculations  in  gold  and  grains 
still  further  increased  the  business  of  the  board.  The 
great  fire  of  1871  wiped  out  the  Chamber  of  Commerce 
building.  On  the  Monday  following,  the  Board  of 
Trade  met  on  Canal  street,  between  Washington  and 
Madison,  and  passed  resolutions  urging  the  owners  of 
the  Chamber  of  Commerce  building  to  erect  at  once  a 
larger  and  more  expensive  structure.  The  members 
also  voted  a  large  amount  of  money  for  the  relief  of 
the  destitute,  and  in  a  few  days  resumed  its  sessions 
as  usual,  remaining  in  these  quarters  until  the  construc- 
tion of  a  temporary  building  at  Market  and  Washington 


streets.  When  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  was  rebuilt 
the  Board  of  Trade  moved  to  its  quarters  there  in  1872. 
The  importance  and  growth  of  the  exchange  continued 
uninterrupted  until  the  early  8o's,  when  the  need  of  a 
building  of  its  own  became  more  apparent,  and  it  was 
decided  to  build  the  present  magnificent  structure.  In 
1884  the  final  move  was  made  to  its  present  home,  the 
Board  of  Trade  carrying  with  it  to  that  section  of  the 
city  much  of  the  grain,  banking  and  brokerage  business 
of  Chicago. 

The  Board  of  Trade  has  always  taken  a  leading  part 
in  the  great  patriotic  and  civic  movements  in  Chicago. 
During  the  war  it  led  the  patriotic  sentiment  that  fired 
the  city.  It  fitted  out  the  Board  of  Trade  battery  and 
two  regiments  of  infantry,  and  presented  them  fully 
armed  and  equipped  to  the  government.  During  the 
war  these  soldiers  were  carefully  looked  after  by  the 
Board  of  Trade.  In  addition  to  this  the  Board  contrib- 
uted largely  to  the  organizations  of  the  Mercantile  bat- 
tery, and  did  much  towards  supplying  hospital  stores 
and  other  supplies.  Captain  Stokes  of  the  Board  of 
Trade  batter}',  and  a  member  of  the  exchange  was 
credited  by  General  Rosecrantz  with  saving  the  day  at 
Stone  River.  The  captain  of  Taylor's  battery,  another 
Board  of  Trade  member,  also  made  an  excellent  record. 
In  fact,  no  military  organization  during  that  terrible 
conflict  acquitted  themselves  with  more  credit  than  did 
those  equipped  and  organized  by  the  Chicago  traders. 
The  history  of  the  Board  of  Trade  since  1854  is  one  of 
continued  prosperity.  Its  transactions  run  into  the 
millions  of  bushels  daily,  while  its  quotations  dominate 
the  markets  of  the  world.  There  have  been  periods  of 
wild  and  persistent  speculation,  but  this  has  rather 
tended  to  help  than  to  still  legitimate  business.  The 
farmers  of  the  country  have  profited  by  many  millions 
by  the  efforts  to  control  the  markets  for  wheat  and 
corn,  as  well  as  for  the  products  of  the  packing  houses. 
Most  of  the  corners  attempted  on  the  Board  of  Trade 
have  been  disastrous  failures. 

Among  those  who  have  filled  the  office  of  secretary 
of  the  Board  of  Trade,  the  names  of  Charles  Randolph 
and  George  F.  Stone,  the  present  incumbent  of  office, 
stand  out  prominent.  Secretary  Randolph  held  that 
office  through  the  great  fire,  and  for  sometime  after- 
wards. Mr.  Stone  has  filled  the  position  for  the  last 
twenty-one  years,  and  has  done  much  by  his  tact,  ability 
and  wisdom  to  add  to  the  good  name  and  fame  of  the 
Chicago  Board  of  Trade. 

The  present  officers  of  the  exchange  are :  William 
S.  Jackson,  president ;  Walter  Fitch,  first  vice-president ; 
John  H.  Jones,  second  vice-president ;  G.  F.  Stone,  sec- 
retary; E.  A.  Hamil.  treasurer.  The  board  of  directors 
follows :  John  B.  Adams,  Kmil  W.  Wagner,  Robert 
Bines,  Geo.  W.  Patten,  Walter  Comstock,  Paul  Tiet- 


144 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


gens,  J.  Herbert  Ware,  A.  Stamford  White,  John  T. 
Sickel,  James  Crighton,  Hiram  N.  Sager,  J.  Finley 
Barrell,  John  F.  Harris,  Edward  Andrew,  James 
Bradley. 

The  Albert  Dickinson  Company  was  organized  in 
1888,  succeeding  the  business  of  Albert  Dickinson,  the 
latter  of  which  was  the  outgrowth  of  a  general  grain, 
produce  and  seed  business,  founded  in  1854  by  Albert 
F.  Dickinson.  Its  founder,  who  was  one  of  the  oldest 
members  of  the  Chicago  Board  of  Trade,  was  engaged  in 
business  between  Dearborn  avenue  and  State  street,  on 
Kinzie  street.  In  the  great  fire  of  October,  1871,  every- 
thing was  lost,  excepting  a  memorandum  of  the  debts 
which  the  firm  owed.  The  blow  was  a  severe  one,  and 
the  elder  Dickinson's  health  was  failing,  but  in  1872  his 
two  sons,  Albert  and  Nathan,  who  had  been  engaged 
with  him  in  the  business,  together  with  their  brother, 
Charles,  who  at  that  time  was  but  fourteen  years  of  age, 
gathered  up  the  remnants  of  the  business  and  carried 
it  on  for  sixteen  years,  under  the  name  of  Albert  Dick- 
inson. Doing  all  the  work  themselves,  the  three 
brothers,  aided  by  their  sister,  Melissa,  who  did  the 
bookkeeping,  were  able  to  wipe  out  the  debts  with 
which  they  started,  and  place  the  business  on  a  sub- 
stantial and  paying  basis.  The  quarters  on  Kinzie 
street  were  finally  outgrown,  and  the  company  rented 
part  of  the  old  Empire  warehouse  on  Market  street, 
only  again  to  remove  a  few  years  later  to  the  corner 
of  Clark  and  Sixteenth  streets,  where  large  elevators 
and  commodious  offices  were  erected.  In  time,  how- 
ever, even  these  quarters  became  too  small,  and  an 
office,  built  especially  for  their  purposes,  was  erected 
by  the  Chicago  Dock  Company,  on  their  property  on 
Taylor  street,  into  which  the  company  moved  on  May  i, 
1898.  The  business  of  the  Albert  Dickinson  Company 
extends  over  a  large  part  of  the  world,  and  they  are 
buyers,  as  well  as  sellers,  in  all  the  large  foreign  markets 
where  goods  in  their  line  are  handled.  They  make  a 
specialty  of  clover,  flax  and  grass  seeds,  and  do  an 
extensive  business  in  bird  seed,  popcorn,  grain  bags, 
seed  grains,  etc. 

The  officers  of  the  company  are :  Albert  Dickinson, 
president ;  Charles  Dickinson,  vice-president ;  Nathan 
Dickinson,  treasurer;  Charles  D.  Boyles,  secretary.  Its 
board  of  directors  consists  of  Albert  Dickinson,  Charles 
Dickinson,  Nathan  Dickinson,  .Charles  D.  Boyles,  O.  E. 
Harden. 

Albert  Dickinson,  president  of  the  Albert  Dickin- 
son Company,  was  born  at  Stockbridge,  Massachu- 
setts, October  28,  1841,  and  is  the  eldest  son  of  Albert 
F.  and  Ann  Eliza  (Anthony)  Dickinson,  both  of  whom 
were  natives  of  western  Massachusetts.  Mr.  Dick- 
inson came  to  Chicago  with  his  parents  in  1855,  and 
was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  this  city,  being 


a  member  of  the  first  class  to  be  graduated  from 
the  Chicago  High  School.  After  graduation  he 
entered  the  office  of  his  father,  who  had  established  him- 
self in  the  grain  and  produce  business  shortly  after 
coming  to  Chicago,  and  remained  there  until  the  out- 
break of  the  war  in  1861.  In  April  of  that  year  he 
enlisted  in  Company  B  of  the  Chicago  Light  Artillery, 
known  as  Taylor's  Battery,  and  later  as  Company  B 
of  the  First  Regiment,  Illinois  Light  Artillery,  and 
remained  in  active  service  some  three  years  and  three 
months.  He  was  among  those  who  saw  a  great  deal  of 
action.  He  was  engaged  in  the  first  fight  at  Frederick- 
town,  Missouri,  and  he  was  also  in  the  engagements  at 
Donelson,  Shiloh,  Corinth  and  Vicksburg.  After  the 


ALBERT    DICKINSON. 

victory  at  the  latter  point  his  battery  was  sent  to  Mem- 
phis, from  whence  they  marched  to  Chattanooga,  arriv- 
ing in  time  to  take  part  in  the  battle  of  Missionary 
Ridge,  and  later  moving  to  the  relief  of  General  Burn- 
side  at  Knoxville.  He  served  throughout  the  Atlanta 
campaign  the  following  spring  and  was  mustered  out  in 
July,  1864. 

Upon  his  return  to  civil  life,  Mr.  Dickinson  com- 
menced business  at  Durant,  Iowa,  but  was  shortly  after- 
ward called  to  Chicago  by  his  father's  failing  health, 
and  at  once  took  the  responsibilities  of  the  business 
upon  himself,  and  actively  commenced  the  duties  of 
manager,  continuing  it  in  his  own  name,  with  the  assist- 
ance of  his  brothers  and  sister,  all  of  whom  worked 
together. 

The  misfortunes  felt  by  the  great  fire  had  to  be 
shouldered  by  Albert  Dickinson  and  his  associates,  but 


THE    CITY    OF   CHICAGO. 


145 


under  his  management  past  disasters  were  wiped  out, 
and,  through  continual  efforts,  the  business  has  been 
built  up  to  its  present  large  proportions.  Until  about 
1874  a  general  commission  business  was  transacted,  but 
after  that  time  the  handling  of  seeds  was  made  an  exclu- 
sive business.  The  business  was  run  in  the  name  of 
Albert  Dickinson  until  1888,  when  a  stock  company 
was  formed,  and  the  firm  became  known  as  the  Albert 
Dickinson  Company,  which  to-day  does  the  largest 
business  in  seeds,  particularly  grass  and  field  seeds,  of 
any  establishment  in  the  world. 

Mr.  Dickinson  finds  his  greatest  recreation,  strange 
as  it  may  seem,  in  hard  work,  and  it  is  to  this  that  he 
attributes  the  greater  share  of  his  success  in  the  business 
world.  His  whole  efforts  are,  and  always  have  been, 
given  to  the  development  and  management  of  the 
Albert  Dickinson  Company. 

Mr.  Dickinson  has  for  some  years  been  much  inter- 
ested in  the  welfare  of  the  Chicago  Academy  of  Sci- 
ences and  has  been  a  liberal  contributor  to  its  needs. 
He  is  also  president  of  the  Timewell  Sack  Filling  and 
Sewing  Machine  Company,  a  new  labor-saving  device, 
and  the  only  successful  machine  in  the  world,  for  filling 
bags  and  sewing  them. 


NATHAN   DICKINSON. 

Nathan  Dickinson,  treasurer  of  the  Albert  Dickin- 
son Company,  was  born  at  Curtisville,  Massachusetts, 
in  February,  1848,  and  is  the  second  son  of  Albert  F. 
and  Ann  Eliza  (Anthony)  Dickinson. 

He  came  to  Chicago  with  his  parents  in  1855,  and 
was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  this  city,  being 
graduated  from  the  Dearborn  School  in  1865.  It  was 

10 


soon  found  that  his  services  were  needed  in  the  busi- 
ness then  being  conducted  under  his  father's  name, 
and  he  accordingly  began  business  life  under  the  lat- 
ter's  instructions.  He  has  remained  continuously  in 
the  establishment  ever  since,  and  for  many  years  has 
occupied  the  position  of  treasurer. 

Charles   Dickinson,    vice-president    of    the    Albert 
Dickinson  Company,  was  born  at  Chicago  on  May  28, 


CHARLES   DICKINSON. 

1858,  and  is  the  youngest  son  of  Albert  F.  and  Ann 
Eliza  (Anthony)  Dickinson.  He  attended  the  public 
schools  of  this  city  until  he  was  fourteen  years  of  age, 
attending  the  high  school  in  the  mornings  and  working 
for  Charles  Gossage  &  Company,  dry  goods  merchants, 
in  the  afternoons,  at  the  very  meager  salary  of  $1.50 
a  week. 

In  1872  Mr.  Dickinson  became  associated  with  his 
two  brothers,  Albert  and  Nathan,  who  were  engaged  in 
carrying  on  the  business  originally  started  by  their 
father,  Albert  F.  Dickinson,  and  which  needed  their 
united  attention,  due  to  the  losses  sustained  in  the  great 
fire  of  the  previous  year. 

The  business  was  then  being  conducted  on  a  general 
commission  basis,  and  it  was  not  until  some  years  later 
that  seeds  came  to  be  handled  exclusively.  Charles 
Dickinson  was  thus  thrown  into  contact  with  the  world 
at  a  very  early  age,  and  it  stands  as  a  matter  of  record 
that  he  was  one  of  the  youngest  operators  on  the  Board 
of  Trade,  he  having  begun  active  trading  in  his  seven- 
teenth year.  The  Albert  Dickinson  Company  was 
organized  in  1887-1888,  and  his  connection  with  this 


I4G 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


company,  of  which  he  is  vice-president,  has  continued 
uninterruptedly. 

Mr.  Dickinson  has  been  fortunate,  in  that  he  has 
traveled  extensively,  and  has  gained  much  from  the 
broadening  influence  which  always  results  from  a  wide 
contact  with  one's  fellow-men.  His  first  trip  abroad 
was  in  1880,  at  which  time  he  spent  some  months  in 
traveling  through  Europe.  Three  years  later  he  again 
visited  Europe,  and  this  time  extended  his  travels  south 
into  Africa,  not  neglecting  the  many  other  points  which 
could  be  conveniently  touched  while  en  route. 

Again  in  1894-1895  he  spent  ten  months  in  Russia, 
Germany,  France,  Denmark,  Turkey  and  other  coun- 
tries of  continental  Europe.  While  his  travels  have 
been  extensive,  and  for  the  most  part  of  a  business 
nature,  Mr.  Dickinson  has  not  failed  to  visit  points  of 
commercial  and  historical  interest,  thus  combining 
pleasure  with  business,  and  receiving  a  twofold  benefit. 

Mr.  iDickinson  is  vice-president  of  the  Chicago 
Dock  Company,  is  president  of  the  Chicago  Moto-Cycle 
Company,  and  is  president  of  the  Chicago  Polyphone 
Company,  an  organization  for  the  manufacture  of  an 
improved  talking  machine.  "He  is  a  member  of  the 
Union  League,  Chicago  Athletic,  Illinois,  Germania  and 
Menoken  clubs,  and  a  trustee  of  the  Chicago  Academy 
of  Sciences.  He  is  married  and  resides  at  603  Dearborn 
avenue. 


CHARLES    DICKINSON   BOYLES. 

Charles  Dickinson  Boyles,  secretary  of  the  Albert 
Dickinson  Company,  was  born  in  Chicago,  August  I, 
1865.  His  parents  were  Charles  C.  and  Hannah  (Dick- 
inson) Boyles. 


Mr.  Boyles  received  his  education  in  the  public 
schools  of  this  city,  which  he  attended  until  he  was  six- 
teen years  of  age,  at  which  time  he  entered  the  employ- 
ment of  the  Albert  Dickinson  Company  as  an  office 
boy.  He  has  since  remained  continuously  in  the  serv- 
ice of  this  company,  and  became  secretary  of  it  in  1889. 

He  is  a  member  of  the  Union  League  and  Ashland 
clubs. 

Henry  F.  Vehmeyer,  president  of  the  Chicago  Dock 
Company,  was  born  in  Hanover,  Germany,  March  7, 


HENRY    F.   VEHMEYER. 

1845,  tne  son  °f  Christian  and  Elizabeth  (Meyerding) 
Vehmeyer.  When  he  was  six  years  old  his  parents 
came  to  this  country,  and  settled  in  Chicago,  where, 
until  he  reached  the  age  of  fourteen  years,  he  attended 
the  public  schools.  At  this  time,  however,  he  secured 
a  humble  position  in  a  grocery  store,  on  the  West  Side, 
where  he  was  employed  for  about  two  years,  at  the 
end  of  which  time  he  engaged  in  the  management  of 
a  small  grocery,  which  his  father  had  purchased,  on 
the  corner  of  Adams  and  Throop  streets.  For  thirteen 
years  he  continued  in  the  grocery  business,  half  of  the 
time  at  the  previously  mentioned  location,  and  half  of 
this  period  at  the  corner  of  Ann  and  Lake  streets. 

Mr.  Vehmeyer  first  became  a  stockholder  and 
director  in  the  Chicago  Dock  Company  in  1890.  Some 
three  years  later  he  became  president,  in  which  capacity 
he  still  continues. 

Irwin,  Greene  &  Company  is  one  of  the  best  known 
firms  on  the  Chicago  Board  of  Trade,  having  been 
founded  in  1854  by  D.  W.  Irwin.  From  that  time  to 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


147 


the  present  they  have  constantly  extended  their 
activities  and  now  do  an  extensive  business  as  shippers, 
receivers  and  grain  merchants.  It  is  known  as  one  of 
the  conservative  firms  in  this  line  of  business,  and 
numbers  among  its  customers  many  of  the  best  known 
investors  in  Chicago. 

Charles  David  Irwin,  the  senior  partner,  is  the  son 
of  D.  W.  and  Harriett  L.  (Nash)  Irwin.     He  was  born 


CHARLES    DAVID   IRWIN. 

in  Albany,  New  York,  April  19,  1859,  anfl  ms  father 
brought  him  to  Chicago  when  he  was  but  a  child.  He  is 
practically  a  Chicago  product,  having  been  educated  in 
the  Chicago  South  Division  schools,  and  grew  up  with 
the  city.  In  1881  he  married  Miss  Hattie  F.  Duryea 
of  Nyack,  New  York,  and  their  children  are  Jessie  N. 
and  David  D.  Irwin.  It  was  his  father's  desire  that  his 
son  should  succeed  him  in  the  firm  of  Irwin,  Greene  & 
Company,  and  when  Mr.  Irwin  left  school  he  entered 
the  firm.  He  was  made  a  partner  in  1881,  the  year  of 
his  marriage,  and,  upon  his  father's  death,  succeeded  to 
the  latter's  interests. 

Mr.  Invin  has  always  been  an  independent  in  poli- 
tics and  is  a  Presbyterian.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Union 
League  Club  and  resides  in  Evanston.  The  office  of 
the  firm  of  Irwin,  Greene  &  Company  is  in  the  Postal 
Telegraph  building". 

John  Cudahy,  son  of  Patrick  and  Elizabeth  (Shaw) 
Cudahy,  was  born  at  Callan,  County  Kilkenny,  Ireland, 
November  2,  1843.  His  parents  came  to  this  country 
when  he  was  but  six  years  of  age,  and  after  a  short 
time  spent  in  the  New  England  states  came  West  and 


settled  in  Milwaukee.  He  attended  the  public  schools 
of  that  city  until  he  was  fourteen  years  of  age,  when 
he  secured  a  position  in  the  packing  house  of  Ed.  Rod- 
dis,  and  started  in  to  learn  the  rudiments  of  the  busi- 
ness, with  which  he  \vas  to  become  so  closely  identified 
in  after  life.  He  remained  in  the  employ  of  this  house 
for  about  three  years,  leaving  them  to  enter  the  estab- 
lishment of  John  Plankinton,  afterward  known  as 
Plankinton  &  Armour. 

His  connections  with  this  firm  lasted  until  he  was 
twenty-one  years  of  age.  At  that  time  he  became  asso- 
ciated with  Thomas  Grynne  of  Milwaukee  in  the  nur- 
sery business,  dealing  in  fruit  and  ornamental  trees, 
and  a  few  years  later  purchased  the  business,  conducting 
it  under  his  own  name  until  1870.  He  paid  but  a  small 
sum  down  at  the  time  of  securing  control,  but  managed 
it  so  well  that  at  the  time  he  disposed  of  it  he  had  not 
only  cleared  himself  of  debt,  but  made  a  considerable 
bit  of  money  besides. 

Having  disposed  of  this  business,  he  once  more 
entered  the  packing  industry,  this  time  in  the  employ  of 
Layton  &  Co.,  packers.  While  in  their  service  he  was 


JOHN  CUDAHY. 

appointed  Board  of  Trade  provision  inspector  for  the 
city  of  Milwaukee,  and  later  became  foreman  and  Board 
of  Trade  inspector  for  Van  Kirk  &  McGeough. 

In  1875  he  purchased  an  interest  in  the  business  of 
John  Plankinton,  but  a  few  months  later,  deciding  that 
the  field  of  operations  was  not  just  what  he  wanted  at 
the  time,  he  secured  a  release  from  his  contract,  and 
came  at  once  to  Chicago,  where  he  formed  a  partner- 


148 


THE   CITY    OF   CHICAGO. 


ship  with  Mr.  E.  D.  Chapin,  under  the  firm  name  of 
Chapin  &  Co.,  packers,  the  business  being  under  this 
name  for  two  years,  when  it  became  known  as  the  firm 
of  Chapin  £  Cudahy.  A  few  years  later  Mr.  Chapin 
withdrew,  and  since  that  time  Mr.  Cudahy  has  con- 
ducted the  business  under  the  name  of  the  Cudahy 
Packing  Company.  Some  years  ago  Mr.  Cudahy, 
together  with  his  brother  Patrick,  purchased  the  busi- 
ness of  John  Plankinton  of  Milwaukee,  which  has  been 
carried  on  under  the  name  of  Cudahy  Brothers  Com- 
pany, packers. 

In  the  life  of  Mr.  Cudahy  we  certainly  find  a  good 
example  of  what  can  be  accomplished  by  industry,  per- 
severance and,  above  all,  business  integrity.  These 
qualities  would  have  made  him  prominent,  no  doubt,  in 
other  lines  of  business,  and  it  may  be  truthfully  said 
that  the  success  he  has  achieved  and  the  prominence  he 
holds  to-day  are  the  natural  results  of  these  character- 
istics, together  with  others  which  are  to  be  found  in  men 
that  have  made  their  own  way. 

Chicago  certainly  owes  much  of  her  prosperity  to 
men  like  Mr.  Cudahy.  A  liberal-minded  citizen,  pos- 
sessed of  the  highest  ideals  in  all  things,  he  has  freely 
contributed  his  wealth  in  the  aid  of  many  charitable 
and  public  undertakings.  Personally,  he  is  a  genial 
companion,  and,  although  his  entire  attentions  are  given 
to  his  business,  he  finds  time  to  mingle  with  his  fellow- 
men.  He  is  very  fond  of  outdoor  recreation,  and  has 
a  beautiful  summer  home  on  Mackinac  Island,  where 
he  spends  much  of  his  time  during  the  summer  months. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Washington  Park  Club,  the 
Union  League  Club  and  the  Chicago  Club,  besides  hold- 
ing membership  in  many  other  social  organizations. 

Mr.  Cudahy  has  been  twice  married,  the  first  time 
in  1873,  to  Miss  Mary  Nolan  of  Bridgeport,  Connect- 
icut, and  the  second  time,  in  1881,  to  Miss  Margaret  F. 
O'Neil,  daughter  of  the  late  Mr.  John  O'Neil,  one  of 
Chicago's  most  respected  citizens.  He  has  two  daugh- 
ters and  one  son. 

Edward  William  Bailey,  a  member  of  the  Chicago 
Board  of  Trade,  was  born  at  Elmore,  La  Moille 
County,  Vermont,  August  31,  1843.  His  parents, 
George  W.  and  Rebecca  Warren  Bailey,  were  natives 
of  Berlin,  Vermont.  The  Bailey  family  is  of  Scotch 
lineage. 

Edward  W.  Bailey  is  the  youngest  of  ten  children. 
His  education  was  obtained  in  the  public  schools  and 
in  Washington  County  Grammar  School  at  Montpelier. 
At  the  age  of  seventeen  years  he  assisted  his  father  in 
the  management  of  the  homestead  farm,  thereby  devel- 
oping a  strong  muscular  frame,  and  acquiring  strength 
and  endurance,  which  in  the  after  years  stood  him  in 
good  stead  in  the  strenuous  battle  of  Chicago  life.  He 
also  inherited  the  upright  character  and  conscientious 
principles  for  which  his  progenitors  had  been  conspic- 


uous. In  1869  he  purchased  a  grocery  store  at  Mont- 
pelier, and  the  following  year  he  and  his  partner 
increased  their  business  by  the  addition  of  a  grist  mill. 
When  the  firm  dissolved  a  few  years  later,  Mr.  Bailey 
retained  the  mill  and  still  continues  to  own  and  operate 
the  same. 

In  1879  he  located  in  Chicago,  and  formed  a  part- 
nership with  V.  W.  Bullock  for  dealing  in  grain  on 
commission.  After  the  first  three  years  Mr.  Bailey 
became  the  sole  proprietor  of  the  business,  and  now 
occupies  commodious  quarters  in  the  Board  of  Trade 
building.  Mr.  Bailey's  business  career  has  been  strik- 


EDWARD   WILLIAM    BAILEY. 

ingly  successful,  and  he  has  an  enviable  reputation  for 
honorable  dealing  and  integrity  of  character. 

Mr.  Bailey  holds  liberal  views  on  religious  subjects, 
and  was  for  many  years  a  member  of  the  congregation 
of  the  late  Prof.  David  Swing.  Mr.  Bailey's  religion 
in  a  nutshell  may  be  defined  as  a  praiseworthy  aspira- 
tion to  do  unto  others  as  he  would  wish  others  to  do 
unto  him.  Mr.  Bailey  never  fails  to  exercise  the  right — 
as  well  as  the  duty — to  cast  his  vote.  He  supports 
Republican  principles,  believing  the  Republican  party 
to  represent  the  best  social  and  economical  ideals 
Emphatically  a  man  of  resolution  and  prompt  action, 
he  holds  a  creditable  place  in  the  business  and  social 
world  of  Chicago. 

William  H.  Lake,  senior  member  of  the  firm  of 
Vv.  H.  Lake  &  Company,  commission  merchants,  is 
one  of  the  most  successful  of  the  younger  Chicago 
Board  of  Trade  brokers.  He  was  born  in  Chicago  in 
1861  and  entered  the  commission  business  with  Dwight 


THE  CITY  OF  CHICAGO. 


149 


&  Gillette  in  1877.  Later  Mr.  Lake  took  a  position  with 
Charles  Counselman  &  Company,  and  still  later  he 
became  connected  with  Bartlett,  Frazier  &  Company, 
where  he  held  a  superior  position  until  1901.  In  that 
year  he  established  himself  in  business  and  formed  the 
firm  of  W.  H.  Lake  &  Company,  with  the  entire  first 
floor  of  the  premises  at  6-8  Sherman  street  as  offices 
and  customers'  rooms.  At  the  present,  Mr.  Lake— 
"Billy  Lake"  as  he  is  better  known  among  his  competi- 
tors and  numerous  friends — is  considered  one  of  the 
representative  commission  dealers  of  the  Middle  West. 
Mr.  Lake  is  a  member  of  the  Chicago  Board  of 
Trade,  Chicago  Stock  Exchange,  New  York  Produce 
Exchange,  Milwaukee  Chamber  of  Commerce,  St.  Louis 
Merchants'  Exchange  and  the  Minneapolis  Chamber  of 
Commerce.  He  is  a  director  of  the  Chicago  Athletic 
Association,  and  member  of  the  Washington  Park  Club, 
Glenn  View  Golf  Club,  Edgewater  Club,  Chicago  Auto- 
mobile Club,  Chicago  Yacht  Club  and  North  Shore 
Club.  He  has  a  daughter  aged  sixteen  and  a  young 
son. 


WILLIAM   H.  LAKE. 


GARFIELD    PARK. 


CHAPTER   XXI. 


CHICAGO  THE  CATTLE   MARKET  OF  THE  WORLD. 


OR  half  a  century  Chicago. has  been 
pre-eminent    as    a    cattle    market. 
j    During  that  time  it  has  grown  from 
a  small  beginning  to  the  greatest 
meat   packing   center  the   world   has 
known.     The  stock  yards  are  still  the 
wonder  of  every  visitor  who  comes  to 
Chicago,  from  far  and  near. 

It  was  in  1848  that  the  first  step 
in  founding  this  tremendous  industry 
was  taken.  A  vacant  lot  at  Madison 
street  and  Ogden  avenue  was  rented 
by  several  stock  men,  and  a  few  pens  built. 
It  was  known  as  the  "Bull  Head"  stock- 
yards, and  a  few  hundred  cattle,  sheep  and  hogs  were 
handled  there  every  year.  The  slaughtering  was 
done  entirely  for  local  consumption  by  a  few 
small  butchers.  All  the  cattle  were  raised  within  a 
radius  of  less  than  100  miles,  and  they  were  driven  in 
by  the  owners  and  sold  direct  to  the  butchers  without 
the  advantage  of  a  fixed  market  price.  The  nearest 
butcher  was  at  Halsted  and  Madison  streets,  and  in  this 
way  the  great  West  Side  highway,  Madison  street,  was 
first  marked  out  by  the  hoof  tracks  of  the  cattle,  sheep 
and  hogs. 

The  next  step  in  the  development  of  this  great 
industry  was  taken  by  the  Michigan  Southern  Railroad, 
which  had  begun  to  haul  no  inconsiderable  number  of 
stock  from  the  farmers  of  Michigan  and  Indiana.  It 
was  not  convenient  or  profitable  to  drive  the  cattle  from 
the  southern  entrance  of  the  town  to  the  West  Side 
stockyards  and  the  railroad  opened  a  stockyards  of  its 
own  at  Twenty-second  and  State  streets.  In  a  few  years 
this  example  was  followed  by  a  number  of  other  roads. 
In  1856  the  Illinois  Central  and  Michigan  Central 
encouraged  John  B.  Sherman  to  build  the  Myrick  stock- 
yards far  out  in  Cottage  Grove  avenue.  It  could  handle 


5,000  cattle  and  30,000  hogs,  and  the  roads  built 
switches  to  it.  This  was  followed  by  a  rival  yard  in 
Cottage  Grove  avenue  by  the  Fort  Wayne  Railroad, 
and  soon  after  the  Burlington  put  up  a  yard  of  its  own 
near  Ashland  avenue,  along  its  right  of  way. 

The  cattle  industry  was  handled  in  this  way  until 
near  the  close  of  the  war,  when  the  importance  of  the 
business  clearly  indicated  that  some  consolidation  must 
be  had  to  put  it  on  a  firm  business  basis.  The  great 
cattle  ranges  of  the  West  and  Southwest  began  to  look 
to  Chicago  for  a  market.  Kansas,  Texas  and  New  Mex- 
ico, Nebraska,  Iowa,  Colorado,  Missouri  and  Illinois, 
Indiana  and  Michigan  began  to  send  avalanches  of  cattle 
into  the  Chicago  market.  Chicago  was  becoming  the 
meat  supply  center  of  the  nation. 

The  leading  spirits  of  the  small  scattered  yards  came 
together  for  mutual  profit  and  protection.  The  result 
of  that  conference  was  the  present  Union  Stockyards 
and  Transit  Company,  which  with  its  allied  industries 
and  interests  form  the  richest  mercantile  and  manufac- 
turing achievements  in  the  history  of  the  world.  The 
original  prospectus  was  issued  in  1864,  and  called  for  a 
stock  subscription  of  $1,000,000.  In  February  of  the 
next  year,  a  special  charter  was  obtained  from  the  state 
and  the  company  formally  organized  with  the  following 
officers:  Timothy  B.  Blackstone,  president;  F.  H. 
Winston,  secretary,  and  Robert  Nolton,  assistant  sec- 
retary. 

To-day  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  million  people 
derive  their  support  direct  from  it  in  Chicago  alone. 
The  activities  which  have  grown  up  from  this  beginning 
and  which  center  around  it,  represent  the  most  costly, 
the  most  productive  and  most  potential  single  manu- 
facturing industry  in  history. 

The  first  purchase  of  a  site  included  320  acres  bought 
of  John  Wentworth  along  Halsted  street,  in  the  town  of 
Lake.  It  was  a  low  marshy  tract,  and  considered  of 


150 


THE   CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 


151 


no  practical  value.  The  work  of  draining  it,  and  erect- 
ing the  sheds  and  pens  began  in  June,  1865,  and  by  the 
close  of  that  year  was  thrown  open  for  business.  The 
yards  were  laid  out  as  a  small  town,  with  streets  and 
alleys.  These  have  been  paved  and  planked,  as  the  yards 
grew,  and  now  there  are  over  twenty-five  miles  of  such 
highways  in  the  stockyards.  It  has  been  increased 
from  time  to  time  until  it  now  includes  over  500  acres. 
To-day  Chicago  remains  supreme  in  the  cattle 
business  of  the  world.  Favored  by  its  location,  rising 
equal  to  every  demand  put  upon  it  for  facilities,  with 


intense  concentration  and  economy  of  method,  and 
handling  of  raw  material.  Not  a  hair  or  drop  of  blood 
of  the  first  asset,  the  live  cattle,  is  lost.  Nothing  is 
wasted,  neither  time  nor  offal,  and  from  the  savings 
from  this  incalculable  economy  in  the  utilization  of 
every  by-product  the  stupendous  fortunes  of  the 
Armours,  the  Swifts,  the  Morrises,  the  Cudahys  and 
others  have  been  built  up. 

This  policy  has  brought  about  the  concentration 
of  allied  interests  which  in  turn  has  resulted  in  making 
the  Chicago  stockyards  what  they  are  and  maintaining 


VIEW  OF  ARMOUR  &  COMPANY'S  PLANT. 


a  spirit  and  enterprise  capable  of  meeting  the  changes 
and  developments  of  conditions,  it  has  been  unaffected 
by  the  growth  of  allied  enterprises  in  other  Western 
cities.  The  output  of  the  stockyards  and  the  great  pack- 
ing plants  have  steadily  increased  despite  the  fact  that 
a  half  dozen  other  towns,  Omaha,  Sioux  City,  Kansas 
City,  East  St.  Louis,  Wichita  and  Fort  Worth,  have  all 
developed  greater  packing  and  stockyards  interests 
than  Chicago,  in  the  beginning  of  its  stockyards,  ever 
dreamed.  Its  growth,  price-fixing  power  and  the 
increase  of  the  output  has  remained  undiminished,  and 
assured. 

This  unchallenged  position  is  the  result  of  the  most 


them  in  their  unchallenged  supremacy.  Jonas  Howard 
in  describing  how  these  industries  are  interwoven,  and 
interdependent  says:  "Canned  meats  and  fresh  beef, 
mutton  and  pork  are  not  the  limitations  of  its'  efficiency. 
Tooth  brushes,  buttons,  hair  brushes,  chessmen,  knife 
handles,  fertilizers,  soaps,  perfume,  chewing  gum, 
teething  rings,  tooth  powder,  shaving  sticks,  razor 
strops,  penholders,  glue,  pistol  butts,  powder  puffs,  jet 
ornaments,  paper  cutters,  hat  racks,  mounted  horns,  a 
thousand  articles  of  art,  utility,  and  commerce  that  were 
never  dreamed  of  by  the  cattle  butchers  of  twenty  years 
ago,  to-day  are  sold  in  millions  of  dollars  worth  from  the 
Chicago  stockyards  and  their  tributary  establishments. 


152 


THE  CITY  OF  CHICAGO. 


"Nothing  could  liave  achieved  these  wonderful 
results  but  the  concentration  in  one  place  of  a  score  or 
more  of  various  though  not  conflicting  interests.  The 
packers  of  Chicago  stockyards  have  littered  the  deserts 
and  morasses,  and  the  tenantless  mountains  of  the 
world  with  their  meat  cans.  They  have  fed  armies  and 
explorers;  by  sheer  dint  of  their  usefulness  they  have 
made  of  a  coarse,  utilitarian  trade  an  influence  in  the 
march  of  civilization,  an  especial  condition  in  the  prog- 
ress of  mankind." 

A  glance  at  the  daily  performance  of  the  Chicago 
stockyards  of  the  present  will  make  the  initial  achieve- 
ments seem  puerile  and  trivial.  It  has  a  capacity  now 
of  75,000  cattle  a  day,  300,000  hogs,  125,000  sheep  and 
6,000  horses.  Three  hundred  miles  of  railroad  tracks 
gridiron  it.  There  are  13,000  open  pens,  8,500  double- 
decked  inclosures  for  sheep  and  hogs,  25,000  gates  and  a 
complete  water  and  drainage  system.  In  fact  the  stock- 
yards are  a  city  in  themselves,  giving  employment  to 
50,000  men,  and  an  army  of  women  and  girls.  During 
Chicago's  centennial  year  there  were  received  3,440,000 
cattle,  272,000  calves,  7,828,000  hogs,  4,584,000  sheep 
and  100,000  horses.  Of  these  2,171,000  cattle  were 
slaughtered,  245,000  calves,  6,595,000  hogs  and  3,584,- 
ooo  sheep.  The  value  of  the  stock  shipped  to  this  great 
cattle  center  during  1903  was  over  $311,900,000.  In 
the  process  of  manufacture  into  the  various  food  prod- 
ucts and  other  products  of  the  allied  industries,  this  value 
was  tremendously  enhanced. 

But  it  is  not  alone  in  the  value  and  number  of 
cattle  handled  and  slaughtered,  not  in  the  extent  and 
area  of  the  yards  that  their  tremendous  potentialities 
care  be  measured.  Every  conceivable  device  for  the 
utilization  of  and  expeditious  handling  of  this  great 
product  of  the  farms  of  the  nation  is  installed.  Labor 
is  made  to  produce  to  the  limit  of  its  efficiency.  The 
stockyards  of  Chicago  represent  the  consumption  of 
mechanical  speed  with  commercial  utilities.  Minutes 
lost  are  figured  as  weight  and  money  lost. 

No  two  cities  in  the  state  of  Illinois,  outside  of 
Chicago  could  furnish  the  men,  boys  and  girls  to  do 
the  work  daily  performed  at  the  stockyards.  The 
employees  of  this  tremendous  enterprise  and  its  allied 
industries,  with  their  families,  would  make  a  city  second 
in  size  in  the  state,  in  fact,  three  times  as  large  as  any 
other  outside  of  Chicago.  It  might  be  safely  stated  that 
half  a  million  people  are  more  or  less  dependent  upon 
this  monumental  centralization  of  business  activity  for 
their  livelihood. 

Within  the  past  five  years  there  has  been  added  to 
the  stockyards  activities  the  annual  live-stock  exhibition, 
with  a  purpose  to  raise  the  standard  of  American  bred 
cattle  and  horses.  These  competitive  exhibitions  have 
been  tremendous  successes.  Thus,  Chicago,  has  not 
been  content  with  merely  being  the  great  meat  food 


supply  depot  of  the  world,  but  has  determined  that  the 
world  shall  have  better  meat,  better  horses  and  quicker 
service. 

Armour  &  Company.  Very  few  people  realize  the 
enormous  extent  of  the  packing  industry  in  Chicago, 
which  has  been  gradually  developing  during  the  last 
fifteen  or  twenty  years.  Armour  &  Company,  only  one 
of  several  firms  engaged  in  that  business,  have  a  daily 
average  killing  capacity  of  49,000  hogs,  21,000  sheep 
and  16,000  cattle,  an  average  of  86,000  head  of  live 
stock  per  day,  which,  counting  300  working  days  to 
the  year,  makes  a  total  of  25,000,000  head  per  year. 

The  area  of  land  occupied  by  the  several  packing 
plants  of  Armour  &  Company  is  as  follows : 

Acres. 

Chicago 160 

Kansas  City 65 

Omaha    31 

St.  Louis   29 

Sioux  City   14 

Fort  Worth   .  16 


Total  area 315 

The  total  output  of  these  establishments,  including 
dressed  beef,  hams,  bacon  and  six  hundred  or  more 
by-products,  averages  annually  more  than  $200,000,000 
in  value  and  includes  many  curious  and  interesting 
features.  People  know  very  little  of  the  enormous 
variety  of  articles  manufactured  in  connection  with  the 
slaughter-house  business  from  which  the  packers  derive 
their  profits.  For  example.  Armour  &  Company  man- 
ufacture from  twenty-five  to  thirty  miles  of  sandpaper 
every  day  and  an  equal  amount  of  emery  cloth,  which 
is  used  by  the  furniture  factories,  shoe  factories  and 
others. 

Armour  &  Company  have  between  6,500  and  7,000 
employees  connected  with  the  administrative  and  com- 
mercial departments,  from  managers  to  messenger  boys, 
and  between  18,000  and  20,000  persons  engaged  in 
manual  labor  at  their  several  plants.  The  pay  roll 
amounts  to  about  $16,000,000  a  year.  These  employees 
are  scattered  among  more  than  600  branch  houses  in 
different  parts  of  the  United  States  and  foreign  coun- 
tries. There  is  not  a  city  of  any  size  in  the  world  at 
which  the  company  is  not  represented.  They  own  5,000 
refrigerator  cars  for  the  transportation  of  meats, 
chickens,  eggs,  fruit  and  packing-house  products.  Their 
different  plants  in  the  West  and  Southwest  are  con- 
nected by  about  5,000  miles  of  private  telegraph  wire, 
and  from  sixty  to  seventy-five  telegraph  operators  are 
employed,  according  to  the  season. 

Everything  about  the  Armour  packing  plant  is  done 
by  electricity  and  the  most  ingenious  automatic  con- 
trivances. There  is  an  elevated  railway  running  between 
buildings  and  through  all  the  streets  and  alleys,  with 


THE   CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 


153 


over  five  miles  of  track,  ten  electric  motors  of  twenty- 
five  horsepower  each,  and  3,000  cars  built  in  different 
styles  adapted  to  the  special  purposes  for  which  they  are 
used.  It  is  the  only  railroad  of  the  kind  in  existence,  and 
its  utility  was  shown  last  year,  when  375,000,000  pounds 
of  meat  and  other  products  were  transported  from  cut- 
ting floors  and  factories  to  warehouses  and  railroads  for 
domestic  and  foreign  transportation. 

The  power  plant  of  Armour  &  Company  is  one  of 
the  largest  in  the  world,  covering  a  ground  space  of  200 
feet  square  and  up  to  date  in  every  feature.  The  coal 
and  ashes  are  handled  by  automatic  gravity  contri- 
vances. The  boiler  plant  consists  of  twenty-four  verti- 
cal water  tube  boilers  of  375  horsepower  each,  and  will 
be  increased  by  1,200  horsepower  within  a  few  months. 
There  are  four  massive  refrigerating  machines,  two  of 
400  tons  and  two  of  600  tons  capacity  daily,  which  will 


meats  and  lard  are  manufactured.  There  is  a  complete 
printing  establishment  also,  where  they  do  all  their  own 
lithographing  and  printing  and  manufacture  their  own 
books  and  stationery.  In  fact,  everything  except  the 
raw  material  is  made  on  the  ground. 

Swift  &  Company.  The  beginning  of  every  large 
and  important  industry  has  almost  without  exception 
been  actuated  by  some  big  idea  generated  in  the  mind 
of  one  whose  faith  was  predominant. 

In  the  case  of  Swift  &  Company  at  least  this  was 
true.  Gustavus  Franklin  Swift,  whose  early  life  was 
spent  as  a  Cape  Cod  farm  boy,  started  the  business 
which  has  evolved  into  the  present  Swift  &  Company. 

First  as  a  seller  of  meat  among  his  neighbors,  then 
as  an  employee  to  a  local  butcher,  and  later  as  a  partner 
in  a  successful  stock  commission  business — finally 
Mr.  Swift  began  business  in  Chicago  in  1875.  This 


ARMOUR  &  COMPANY'S  GRAIN  ELEVATORS. 


be  increased  by  1,200  tons  capacity  very  shortly.  The 
entire  plant  is  as  nearly  fireproof  as  can  be  made,  but 
as  an  additional  precaution  a  thoroughly  equipped  fire 
department  is  in  complete  readiness  for  instantaneous 
service  day  and  night.  The  most  modern  appliances 
for  the  detection  of  fire  have  been  supplied  and  watch- 
men are  on  duty  everywhere. 

The  canning  department  is  also  the  largest  in  the 
world.  Cleanliness  is  the  chief  characteristic,  and  no 
private  kitchen  in  the  land  is  neater.  By  the  use  of 
machinery  manual  labor  has  been  reduced  to  a  mini- 
mum, and  long  continued  chemical  experiments  have 
enabled  the  cooks  to  retain  all  the  natural  flavors  of  the 
different  meats  they  handle.  The  laboratory  is  under 
the  charge  of  a  chief  chemist,  with  ten  assistants,  who 
are  always  busy  making  tests  and  devising  novelties  for 
the  meat  department. 

ArmOur  &  Company  build  their  own  cars,  and  have 
a  tin  factory,  where  all  their  cans  and  pails  for  preserved 


was  in  the  early  days  of  the  Chicago  Union  Stock  Yards. 

Competition,  however,  had  already  arrived  and  cor- 
porations headed  by  such  business  giants  as  P.  D. 
Armour,  Nelson  Morris,  Michael  Cudahy  and  G.  H. 
Hammond  were  laying  lines  for  larger  growth. 

During  the  first  year  of  Swift  Bros.  &  Company 
the  business  was  mainly  buying  and  selling  cattle. 
Slaughtering  was  not  installed  until  a  year  later. 

It  was  also  during  the  early  winters  at  the  yards 
that  Mr.  G.  F.  Swift  experimented  with  the  shipping  of 
dressed  beef  to  eastern  markets.  His  efforts  were  so 
successful  that  the  business  took  on  great  impetus. 
To-day  G.  F.  Swift  is  the  name  most  mentioned  as  the 
man  whose  courage  and  faith  made  possible  the  refrig- 
erator car,  which  has  long  since  revolutionized  the  stock 
and  fruit  industry. 

In  1883  by-products  were  first  utilized  by  the  refin- 
ing of  beef  suet  for  oleo  oil. 

In  1884  sheep  killing  was  installed  and  in  1885  hogs 


154 


THE   CITY  OF  CHICAGO. 


were  first  butchered.  The  same  year  Swift  &  Company 
was  incorporated  for  $300,000.  December  i,  1886, 
however,  this  capital  stock  was  increased  to  $3,000,000. 
This  latter  amount  was  increased  gradually  until  in 
January,  1904,  the  capital  stock  became  $35,000,000. 

The  Chicago  plant  occupies  nearly  fifty  acres.  Six 
other  plants,  occupying  an  area  of  nearly  two  hundred 
acres,  are  located  one  in  each  of  the  following  cities: 
Kansas  City,  Kansas ;  Omaha,  Nebraska ;  East  St. 


Directors :  E.  C.  Swift,  Boston ;  L.  F.  Swift,  Chi- 
cago; E.  F.  Swift,  Chicago;  L.  A.  Carton,  Chicago; 
J.  R.  Redfield,  Hartford ;  Dumont  Clarke,  New  York. 

Magnitude  of  Transactions. — Here  are  some  of  the 
figures  which  tell  the  story  in  a  nutshell — the  transac- 
tions of  Swift  &  Company. 

During  the  year  1904  the  company  slaughtered  over 
8,250,000  head  of  livestock.  The  total  distributive 
sales  for  the  same  period  exceeded  $200,000,000. 


# 


VIEW  OF  SWIFT  &  COMPANY'S  PLANT. 


Louis,  Illinois;  St.  Paul,  Minnesota;  St.  Joseph  Mis- 
souri; Fort  Worth,  Texas. 

These  plants  supply  the  branch  distributing  houses 
to  be  found  in  every  important  city  in  the  world. 

Swift  &  Company's  main  plants  are  immense  institu- 
tions, built  and  equipped  after  the  most  modern  and 
systematic  plans.  Beef,  mutton,  pork,  provisions  and 
all  packing  house  products  are  prepared  in  large 
quantities. 

The  General  Offices  at  Chicago  occupy  a  building 
erected  in  1903  to  take  the  place  of  the  old  General 
Offices  destroyed  by  fire  in  July,  1903.  This  new  build- 
ing is  100x200  feet,  five  stories  high,  and  built  of  steel 
and  brick.  It  is  a  noteworthy  structure,  even  in  a  city 
of  magnificent  and  costly  buildings,  and  is  considered 
the  finest  office  building  in  the  world,  devoted  to  the 
interests  of  a  single  firm. 

Swift  &  Company  is  distinctly  an  American  enter- 
prise, conducted  after  genuine  American  ideas,  energy 
and  push.  Wherever  this  company  has  sought  sales 
in  other  countries  the  same  American  business  acumen 
has  won.  It  employs  a  vast  army  of  individuals,  which 
furnishes  support  for  a  large  number  of  people. 

Officers :  E.  C.  Swift,  chairman  ;  L.  F.  Swift,  presi- 
dent; E.  F.  Swift,  vice-president;  L.  A.  Carton,  treas- 
urer; D.  E.  Hartwell,  secretary. 


The  total  shipments  of  product  during  1904  aver- 
aged over  350  carloads  for  each  working  day. 

The  total  number  of  persons  employed  in  all  pack- 
ing plants  and  branch  houses  aggregates  over  25,000 
workers. 

One  Day's  Slaughtering. — In  a  single  day  the  total 
slaughtering  in  the  seven  packing  plants  was  as  follows : 

Cattle   ",895 

Sheep   16,553 

Hogs    34,562 

The  largest  number  of  poultry  slaughtered  in  a 
single  day  during  1904  was  62,382. 


SIZE    OF    PLANTS. 

Buildings 
Acres. 


Floor  Space 
Acres. 


Land 
Acres. 


Chicago 44^  87^  47 

Kansas  City   7f  30  19* 

Omaha 6  26  23 

St.  Louis 7^  19!  3if 

St.  Joseph 6|  25}  19} 

St.  Paul 5  12  16 

Fort  Worth    3  15  22 

Awards  for  Best  Products. — Swift  &  Company's 
products  have  received  the  highest  awards  at  all  the 
international  expositions. 

At  the  Paris  Exposition  of  1900,  four  gold  medals 


THE   CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 


155 


were  awarded  to  Swift  &  Company  for  a  refrigerator 
car  and  contents,  for  dressed  beef,  pork  and  provisions, 
including  Premium  Hams  and  Bacon  and  Silver  Leaf 
Lard. 

The  principal  specialties  prepared  by  Swift  &  Com- 
pany are :  Swift's  Premium  Hams,  Swift's  Premium 
Bacon,  Swift's  Silver  Leaf  Lard,  Crown  Princess  Toilet 
Soap,  Wool  Soap,  Swift's  Pride  Soap.  Swift's  Pride 
Washing  Powder. 

Nelson  Morris  &  Company  is  the  oldest  packing  firm 
in  Chicago.  Business  was  commenced  in  a  portion  of  the 
present  building  on  June  17,  1879,  but  Mr.  Nelson 
Morris  had  personally  been  conducting  a  packing  busi- 
ness for  some  years  on  the  site  of  his  present  gigantic 
Chicago  house.  His  business  is  the  outgrowth  of  a 
butcher  business  which  Mr.  Morris  started  in  1858,  or 
ten  years  before  the  foundation  of  Armour  &  Company. 
Two  weeks  after  the  establishment  of  the  present  firm 
of  Nelson  Morris  &  Company,  the  Fairbank  Canning 
Company,  then,  as  it  is  now,  an  integral  part  of  the 
Morris  firm,  stuffed  its  first  can,  and  pasted  it  with  the 
well-known  "Lion,"  as  a  guarantee  of  quality  to  the 
world.  From  that  time  to  the  present  the  firm  has 
grown  rapidly.  Repeated  additions  have  been  made  to 
the  Chicago  plant,  and  in  addition  packing  houses  have 
been  opened  at  East  St.  Louis,  St.  Joseph  and  Kansas 
City.  The  combined  buildings  at  these  four  points  cover 
a  floor  space  exceeding  150  acres.  The  Chicago  house 


of  the  steel  industry,  it  is  the  largest  of  all  that  America 
has  either  originated  or  adopted  from  other  countries. 

The  existence  of  the  packing  industry  as  it  is  to-day 
is  almost  entirely  due  to  the  work  of  four  men,  Nelson 
Morris.  Philip  D.  Armour,  Gustavus  F.  Swift  and  G.  H. 
Hammond.  Of  these  four,  the  pioneer,  and  the  only 
survivor,  is  Mr.  Nelson  Morris. 

Since  Mr.  Nelson  Morris  first  began  business  at 
Thirty-first  street  and  the  Lake  Shore,  the  butcher  busi- 
ness has  developed  into  the  packing  business,  that  is  to 
say,  an  industry  conducted  for  the  production  of  one 
product  has  developed  into  an  industry  in  which  sixty- 
nine  businesses  are  conducted,  and  in  which  the  main 
product  is  sold  at  a  loss.  This  main  product  is  the 
same  product  the  butcher  business  was  conducted  to 
produce.  This  metamorphosis  has  been  due  more, 
than  to  any  other  living  man,  to  Mr.  Nelson  Morris. 

When  the  firm  of  Nelson  Morris  &  Company  was 
established,  in  1879,  the  butcher  business  had  grown 
into  an  embryonic  packing  business,  that  is  to  say,  that 
although  the  chief  product  was  still  fresh  meat,  and 
although  the  chief  profit  was  still  made  out  of  fresh 
meat,  yet  a  commencement  had  been  made  in  the  salva- 
tion of  the  bye-products,  which  has  since  revolutionized 
the  entire  industry. 

The  packing  house  Mr.  Morris  opened  June  17, 
1879,  consisted  of  four  departments:  the  Fresh  Meat 
Department,  the  Hide  Department,  the  Oleo  Depart- 
ment and  the  Canning  Department.  The  packing 


OLD   MYRICK   STOCK  YARDS. 

Photo  of  Painting  in  possession  of  Nelson  Morris,  Esq. 


alone  is  so  large  that  were  a  man  to  walk  through  it, 
opening  each  door  that  he  came  to,  without  entering  a 
single  room  except  to  pass  through,  or  stopping  to 
examine  anything,  it  would  take  him  a  full  working  day 
of  ten  hours,  and  something  over,  to  do  it. 

The  development  of  the  packing  industry  has  been, 
probably,  the  most  significant  thing  connected  with  the 
rapid  growth  of  Chicago.  It  is  the  only  industry  which 
is  distinctly  American,  and  with  the  probable  exception 


house  he  runs  to-day  consists  of  sixty-nine  departments, 
each  one  of  which  has  been  made  necessary  by  the 
changed  conditions  surrounding  the  slaughtering  and 
sale  of  animal  food  products. 

In  these  sixty-nine  departments  are  included  the 
preparation  of  all  kinds  of  food  products,  from  fresh 
meats  to  mince  meat  and  plum  pudding.  Butter,  eggs 
and  poultry,  glue,  tin  cans,  electric  light,  feathers,  hide, 
ice,  fertilizer  and  a  score  of  other  products  are  made. 


156 


THE  CITY  OF  CHICAGO. 


A  hospital,  fire  brigade,  printing  shop,  lithographing 
establishment,  laundry,  barber  shop,  architects'  office 
and  a  dozen  other  enterprises  are  parts  of  the  great 
and  complex  organization  of  Morris  &  Company's 
establishment. 

Mr.  Morris  has  always  insisted  that  his  packing 
houses  should  be  constructed  scientifically  and  along  as 
completely  modern  lines  as  possible.  His  Chicago 
house,  when  it  was  erected,  was  the  model  house  of  the 
country  and  is  still  held  by  packing  house  authorities 
to  be  superior  to  any  of  its  contemporaries. 

The  East  St.  Louis  house  was  built  in  June,  1889,  and 
was  again  a  model.  Nine  years  later  the  packing  house 
at  St.  Joseph  began  operations  and  was  in  its  turn  held 


table  specialties  prepared  by  this  company.  Any  facts 
relating  to  Libby,  McNeill  &  Libby  cannot,  therefore, 
fail  to  be  of  interest.  This  concern  is  distinctively  a 
Chicago  institution,  a  striking  example  of  what  Chicago 
push  and  energy,  coupled  with  brain  and  strict  business 
integrity,  can  accomplish,  and  one  in  which  much  pride 
is  felt  by  the  citizens  of  Chicago. 

Prior  to  the  year  1867  the  curing  of  beef  was  done 
exclusively  in  cold  weather,  but  in  the  summer  of  1867 
Mr.  Arthur  A.  Libby  demonstrated  the  practicability 
of  curing  beef  in  the  summer,  and  early  in  the  following 
year  the  business  of  Libby,  McNeill  &  Libby  was 
founded  by  Messrs.  Arthur  A.  Libby,  Archibald  McNeill 
and  Charles  P.  Libby.  Arthur  A.  and  C.  P.  Libby, 


VIEW   OF   LIBBY,    McNEILL   &   LIBBY'S    PLANT. 


up  to  the  packers  of  the  country  as  an  example  of  what 
a  packing  house  should  be.  All  three  houses  were, 
however,  eclipsed  when,  in  1905,  Morris  &  Company 
opened  their  plant  at  Kansas  City,  which  they  had 
erected  at  a  cost  of  $2,225,000,  after  having  saved 
$375,000  by  doing  all  their  construction  work,  from 
cellar  to  garret,  through  their  own  construction  depart- 
ment. 

Libby,  McNeill  &  Libby,  whose  name  has  long  been 
a  household  word  in  all  parts  of  the  civilized  world,  has 
been  made  famous  by  the  uniformly  excellent  meats 
bearing  this  brand,  sold  in  all  markets  of  the  world 
for  almost  a  third  of  a  century.  There  is  scarcely  a 
man,  woman  or  child  under  the  sun  who  has  not,  at 
some  time  or  other,  eaten  some  of  Libbv's  delicious 


brothers,  hailed  from  Portland,  Maine,  and  Mr.  McNeill 
from  Buffalo,  New  York.  They  became  the  pioneers 
in  the  great  meat-canning  industry  of  to-day.  Their 
capital,  as  Mr.  Arthur  A.  Libby  once  expressed  it.  con- 
sisted of  but  little  cash,  three  pairs  of  strong  and  willing 
hands,  and  an  indomitable  determination  to  succeed. 
The  name  of  the  firm  was  first  A.  A.  Libby  &  Company, 
which  was  subsequently  changed  to  its  present  style. 
For  many  years  the  business  was  confined  almost  exclu- 
sively to  the  packing  and  preserving  of  beef,  but  during 
the  last  few  years  pork,  mutton,  veal,  poultry,  pickles, 
olives,  etc.,  have  been  added.  The  average  number 
of  carcasses  of  beef  handled  daily  during  the  first  year 
was  only  about  4.63.  The  second  year  showed  a 
material  increase  over  the  first,  and  so  did  each  succeed- 
ing year  over  its  predecessors,  until  now  the  capacity 


THE  CITY   OF  CHICAGO. 


157 


has  been  increased  to  3,000  head  of  cattle  per  day.  exclu- 
sive of  the  other  lines. 

When  the  business  was  incorporated,  Mr.  A.  A. 
Libby  was  elected  president;  Mr.  C.  P.  Libby,  vice- 
president  and  manager;  Mr.  A.  Libby,  Jr.,  treasurer, 
and  Mr.  L.  C.  Young,  secretary.  At  the  present  time 
officers  are  as  follows :  Edward  Tilden,  president  and 
treasurer;  Edward  F.  Swift,  vice-president;  W.  F.  Bur- 
rows, vice-president  and  secretary;  C.  T.  Lee,  assistant 
secretary ;  Henry  W.  Hardy,  assistant  treasurer. 

The  National  Packing  Company  was  incorporated 
under  the  laws  of  New  Jersey,  March  18,  1903,  in  order 
to  acquire  a  number  of  the  smaller  packing  houses 
bought  up  by  the  stockyards  interests  prior  to  this  time. 
The  capital  stock  of  the  company,  authorized  and  out- 
standing, is  $15,000,000.  The  plants  acquired  by  the 
National  Company,  which  had  been  purchased  before 
the  organization  by  the  leading  stockholders  in  their  in- 
dividual capacity,  are  the  G.  H.  Hammond  Company, 
Hammond  Packing  Company,  Omaha  Packing  Com- 
pany, the  Anglo-American  Provision  Company,  the 
Fowler  Packing  Company,  St.  Louis  Dressed  Beef  & 
Provision  Company,  United  Dressed  Beef  Company, 
Fowler's  Canadian  Company,  Limited;  Fowler  Bros., 
Limited,  Liverpool ;  and  the  Continental  Packing  Com- 
pany. The  officers  of  the  National  Packing  Company 
are :  Edward  Tilden,  president ;  Arthur  Colby,  secretary 
and  assistant  treasurer.  The  directors  are :  J.  Ogden 
Armour,  P.  A.  Valentine,  Louis  F.  Swift,  Edward  F. 
Swift,  Edward  Morris,  Ira  N.  Morris,  J.  P.  Lyman, 
T.  J.  Connors,  Edward  Tilden,  Thomas  E.  Wilson, 
Arthur  Meeker,  L.  A.  Carton,  Kenneth  K.  McLaren, 
Charles  H.  Swift,  L.  H.  Heyman,  S.  McRoberts  and 
F.  A.  Fowler. 

S.  A.  McClean.  Jr.,  late  president  of  the  National 
Packing  Company,  which  comprises  a  number  of  large 
packing  firms  in  America  and  Canada,  was  without  a 
doubt  the  most  widely  known  and  well-liked  member  of 
the  packing  trade.  His  sudden  death  the  morning  of 
August  29,  1905,  was  a  shock  to  his  many  friends  and 
business  associates.  He  was  telephoning  from  his  home 
to  his  office  when  he  was  stricken  with  heart  disease,  and 
a  few  moments  later  the  word  was  flashed  over  the  ticker 
to  the  La  Salle  street  financial  houses  that  he  was  dead. 

Combining  a  most  happy  faculty  of  winning  even  his 
opponents  over  to  his  way  of  thinking,  with  a  strong 
personal  magnetism  and  a  jovial  and  kind  disposition, 
he  advanced  steadily  from  the  position  of  office  boy, 
until,  at  the  age  of  thirty-five  years,  he  was  directing 
the  complex  machinery  of  one  of  the  largest  packing 
plants  in  the  world. 

Mr.  McClean  was  born  at  Belfast,  Ireland,  Feb- 
ruary n,  1870,  and  entered  the  employment  of  the 
Anglo-American  Provision  Company,  twenty-five 


years  ago  as  office  boy.  By  sheer  will  power  and  great 
perseverance,  never  being  satisfied  until  he  had  accom- 
plished what  he  set  out  to  do,  no  matter  how  small, 
he  climbed  the  ladder  until  at  the  exceptionally  young 
age  of  twenty-five  years,  the  position  of  vice-president 
of  the  Anglo-American  Provision  Company  was  offered 
him.  His  success  in  this  position  being  such  as  to  bring 
him  conspicuously  to  the  foreground  as  a  commanding 
factor,  S.  A.  McClean  was  elected  vice-president  of  the 
National  Packing  Company  very  shortly  after  the  for- 
mation of  the  latter  company,  and  in  this  capacity 
proved  himself  more  than  equal  to  the  task.  Illustrat- 
ing his  superior  ability  as  the  executive  head  of  an 
institution  having  extensive  interests  throughout  the 


S.  A.  McCLEAN,  JR. 

world,  quick  in  forming  correct  deductions  and  decid- 
ing most  important  questions  on  the  spur  of  the 
moment,  he  had  at  the  time  of  his  sudden  death  reached 
the  pinnacle  of  success,  occupying  the  president's  chair 
with  the  National  Packing  Company.  He  was  a  man 
without  an  enemy,  esteemed  even  by  his  adversaries  for 
his  sterling  qualities  and  honest  dealings. 

S.  A.  McClean  was  a  member  of  the  Chicago  Athletic 
Association,  Union  League,  Chicago,  Mid-day  and 
Washington  Park  clubs,  as  well  as  director  of  several 
other  large  corporations  and  banks.  The  title  given 
him  by  his  friends,  "the  Little  Napoleon  of  the  Pack- 
ing Business,"  was  certainly  well  chosen. 

Schwarzschild  &  Sulzberger  Company.  The  year 
1853  saw  the  beginning  of  the  history  of  the 
Schwarzschild  &  Sulzberger  Company  of  to-day,  and 
which  has  covered  a  successful  business  period  of 


158 


THE   CITY   OF  CHICAGO. 


fifty  years.  On  the  date  above  mentioned  the  slaugh- 
tering of  fifty  cattle  weekly  was  considered  a  large  busi- 
ness, and  compared  to  the  present  output  of  about  fif- 
teen thousand  (15,000)  cattle  per  week,  together  with 
the  handling  of  thousands  of  sheep,  lambs  and  hogs, 
shows  the  progress  and  growth  of  the  company. 
Schwarzschild  &  Sulzberger  Company,  more  familiarly 
known  as  the  "S.  &  S."  Company,  may  be  truly  classed 
as  one  of  the  pioneers  in  the  handling  of  refrigerated 
dressed  beef,  and  are  now  conceded  to  be  one  of  the 
packing  powers  of  the  world,  which  is  due,  in  a  great 
measure,  to  the  high  standard  of  its  goods  and  strict 
business  principles. 

During  its  early   history  the   business  was   carried 
on  as  a  firm,  of  which  the  partners  were  Mr.  Joseph 


FERDINAND  SULZBERGER. 

Schwarzschild  and  Mr.  Ferdinand  Sulzberger,  the  lat- 
ter being  president  and  treasurer  of  the  present  corpo- 
ration. It  early  demonstrated  itself  to  the  firm  that 
in  connection  with  the  slaughtering  of  cattle,  the  success 
of  an  abattoir  business  depends  largely  on  the  most 
advantageous  handling  and  utilizing  of  the  by-products, 
particularly  the  fats,  which  had  been  given  little  and 
careless  attention  by  the  old-time  slaughterers.  The 
adoption  of  new  machinery  and  ideas,  backed  by  the 
energy  and  experience  of  the  firm,  resulted  in  placing 
on  the  market  the  famous  "Harrison  Brand"  of  Oleo 
oil,  which  soon  found  favor  on  the  domestic  and -Euro- 
pean markets,  and  is  to-day  conceded  to  be  the  leading 
brand,  with  a  world-famed  demand  and  reputation. 

In   1885,  owing  to  the  practical  retirement  of  Mr. 
Schwarzschild  from  active  business,  his  son-in-law,  Mr. 


Frederick  Joseph,  who  had  previously  been  a  handler 
of  live  stock,  became  associated  with  the  firm,  assum- 
ing Mr.  Schwarzschild's  active  duties,  and  on  the  incor- 
poration of  the  Schwarzschild  &  Sulzberger  Company 
later,  was  elected  vice-president,  which  office  he  holds 
at  the  present  time. 

In  1888,  on  account  of  increased  European  business, 
Mr.  Sulzberger  went  abroad  for  the  general  promoting 
of  their  foreign  interests.  It  was  at  this  time  that  Mr. 
Samuel  Weil  became  associated  with  the  firm,  and, 
with  Mr.  Joseph,  ably  assisted  in  handling  the  business. 
Mr.  Weil's  energy  and  business  abilities  made  him  an 
important  factor  in  the  Schwarzschild  &  Sulzberger 
Company.  Upon  the  incorporation  of  the  company, 
lie  was  elected  vice-president  and  secretary,  which 
offices  he  holds  to-day. 

In  1892,  the  rapid  increase  of  domestic  and  export 
business  having  outgrown  the  capacity  of  the  New 
York  plant,  the  firm  saw  the  advantages  of  an  addi- 
tional plant  in  the  West,  and  negotiated  the  purchase 
of  a  corporation,  at  that  time  known  as  the  Phoenix 
Packing  Company,  having  a  plant  located  at  Kansas 
City,  Kansas,  with  a  few  distributing  branches  in  the 
East,  and  a  refrigerator  car  line,  known  as  the  Cold 
Blast  Transportation  Company.  Enlargement  of  the 
plant  to  several  times  its  original  capacity,  with  added 
modern  machinery  and  facilities,  immediately  followed. 

After  purchasing  the  western  interests,  the  New 
York  plant  gradually  increased  the  output  of  kosher 
killed  cattle  for  the  supply  of  Greater  New  York,  as  an 
equivalent  for  volume  transferred  to  Kansas  City  for 
export  and  general  branch  distribution. 

On  May  10,  1893,  there  was  filed  with  the  secre- 
tary of  state  in  Albany,  New  York,  a  charter  of  incor- 
poration, known  as  the  Schwarzschild  &  Sulzberger 
Company,  which  is  the  corporation  of  to-day. 

Branch  houses  were  rapidly  established  throughout 
the  country  and  the  export  business  was  materially 
increased. 

The  Schwarzschild  &  Sulzberger  Company's  success 
and  growth  again  demonstrated  the  further  enlarge- 
ment of  plant  requirements,  and  in  1899  it  was  decided 
to  build  their  famous  Chicago  plant,  conceded  to  be  the 
finest  in  the  world,  which,  with  that  at  Kansas  City, 
gave  the  company  the  advantage  of  being  located  on 
two  of  the  leading  cattle  markets  of  the  country — Kan- 
sas City  and  Chicago. 

With  modern  plants,  an  increased  refrigerator  car 
line,  and  a  complete  equipment  of  livestock  cars  for 
transporting  their  cattle  to  New  York,  it  put  them  in 
an  advantageous  position — second  to  none — to  com- 
pete for  the  general  business  of  this  country  and 
Europe. 

In  1900,  Mr.  M.  J.  Sulzberger,  son  of  President  Sulz- 
berger, was  elected  vice-president,  and  upon  completion 


THE   CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 


159 


of  the  Chicago  plant,  assumed  general  charge  as  resi- 
dent official  at  Chicago. 

The  volume  and  magnitude  of  the  Schwarzschild  & 
Sulzberger  Company's  business,  backed  by  the  high 
standard  and  reputation  of  its  products,  and  with  the 
enormous  army  of  employees,  aggregating  twelve 
thousand,  including  auditors,  inspectors,  depart- 
ment superintendents,  managers  and  general  employees 
of  the  best  talent,  also  its  own  architects  and 
a  construction  department  for  the  building  and 
maintaining  of  its  plants,  branches,  car  lines,  etc., 
gives  this  company  an  enviable  standing  in  the  packing 
interests  of  the  world.  Approximately,  the  aggregate 
domestic  and  European  business  for  1905  will  aggre- 
gate $100,000,000. 


has  been  built  up  in  a  little  over  twenty  years,  by  the 
perseverance  and  energy  of  the  man  at  the  head,  is 
now  $250,000. 

Mr.  Miller  was  born  in  Chicago,  March  15,  1857. 
He  was  educated  in  the  public  schools,  graduating  from 
high  school  in  Blue  Island.  The  first  two  years  of 
his  business  life  were  spent  in  the  employ  of  a  stationery 
firm.  In  1876  he  began  his  career  in  the  packing  busi- 
ness as  office  boy  with  Fowler  Bros.,  at  the  Union 
Stock  Yards.  He  rose  from  this  position  to  assistant 
shipping  clerk  and  soon  after  was  made  shipping  clerk. 
Then  he  was  sent  by  his  employers  to  the  Board  of 
Trade  to  buy  cooperage  and  salt. 

With  this  experience,  in  1882,  Mr.  Miller,  then 
twenty-five  years  old,  went  in  business  for  himself,  be- 


•«•       U  iWT^*'* 

I  Inn 


MILLER  &  HART'S  PLANT. 


The  Chicago  plant  covers  eighteen  acres,  and  is 
connected  with  the  Union  Stock  Yards  by  overhead 
viaduct.  It  has  a  capacity  per  week  of  10,000  cattle, 
25,000  hogs,  15,000  small  stock.  There  are  cellars, 
outbuildings,  a  canning  plant  and  an  oil  refinery.  The 
motive  power  is  electricity  and  it  has  a  large  artificial 
refrigeration  plant. 

It  is  visited  yearly  by  thousands  of  people  who  mar- 
vel at  the  uniqueness  of  this  modern  institution. 

Walter  H.  Miller,  president  of  the  packing  house 
of  Miller  &  Hart,  typifies  the  Chicagoan  whose  busi- 
ness reflects  the  personality  of  its  founder  and  owner. 
In  1876  Mr.  Miller  was  an  office  boy.  Now  he  is 
directing  a  great  concern  employing  hundreds  of  peo- 
ple. In  1882,  when  Mr.  Miller  embarked  in  business 
for  himself  as  a  provision  dealer,  his  capital  was  less 
than  $2,000.  The  capital  of  the  packing  house  which 


coming  a  provision  dealer  on  South  Water  street.  Two 
years  later  he  combined  his  resources  with  those  of 
William  Craig.  The  provision  house  of  Miller,  Craig 
&  Co.  was  founded  with  a  capital  of  $2,500.  In  1890 
the  firm  name  was  changed  to  Miller  &  Hart.  After 
the  death  of  Mr.  Hart,  which  occurred  in  1897,  the 
business  was  incorporated. 

Two  years  previous  to  this  the  company  moved  into 
the  plant  it  now  occupies  at  Twenty-fifth  street  and 
La  Salle  avenue.  This  plant  covers  an  area  of  several 
acres.  There  is  a  frontage  of  300  feet  on  La  Salle 
avenue  and  at  the  rear  of  the  plant  are  the  tracks  of 
the  Chicago,  Rock  Island  &  Pacific  Railway.  A 
side-track  from  the  railway  runs  directly  into  the  yards 
of  the  packing  company.  From  here  the  Miller  & 
Hart  products  are  sent  to  all  parts  of  the  continent. 

The    Miller    &    Hart    Company   have    always   been 


160 


THE  CITY  OF  CHICAGO. 


entirely  independent  of  other  packing  houses  at  the 
Union  Stock  Yards.  The  "Berkshire"  brand  of  ham, 
which  is  the  Miller  &  Hart  Company's  special  product, 
has  become  widely  known  throughout  the  country. 

Associated  with  Mr.  Miller  in  directing  the  packing 
company  is  D.  C.  Roberton,  who  has  been  with  the 
concern  seventeen  years.  He  is  now  assistant  manager. 
D.  V.  Colbert,  who  is  secretary  of  the  company,  is  an 
influential  member  of  the  Ways  and  Means  Committee 
of  the  Chicago  Commercial  Association.  John  Roberts, 
vice-president  of  the  company,  is  also  a  member  of  the 
packing  firm  of  Roberts  &  Oake  at  the  Union  Stock 
Yards.  The  treasurer,  C.  A.  Bruce,  was  formerly  credit 
man  for  a  large  wholesale  grocery  house  at  Blooming- 
ton,  Illinois.  Twenty-five  traveling  salesmen  have 
made  the  Miller  &  Hart  products  known  and  used  from 
coast  to  coast. 

In  1879  Mr.  Miller  was  married  to  Rowena  P. 
Fobes  of  Chicago.  They  have  two  children,  Walter  F., 
twenty-three  years  old,  who  is  an  architect,  and  Char- 
lotte, who  is  now  Mrs.  Arthur  R.  McDougall.  The 
Millers  live  at  4580  Oakenwald  avenue.  Mr.  Miller, 
who  has  for  many  years  been  prominent  in  Masonic 
circles,  is  a  Knight  Templar  and  member  of  the  Medi- 


nah  Temple,  Mystic  Shrine.  He  is  also  a  member  of 
the  Chicago  Athletic  Club. 

M.  H.  Tichenor  &  Company,  the  well-known  firm 
of  horse  dealers,  was  established  in  1893.  The  firm 
consists  of  M.  H.  Tichenor  and  L.  M.  Newgass.  Mr. 
Tichenor  was  engaged  in  the  horse  business  eight  or 
ten  years  previous. 

Tichenor  &  Company  have  always  advocated  the 
"American  Trotter"  as  the  best  type  for  a  high-class 
coach  or  carriage  horse.  It  has  always  been  the  aim 
of  this  firm  to  handle  only  high-class  horses ;  they  have 
furnished  more  first  prize  winners  at  the  principal  horse 
shows  than  all  of  the  dealers  of  the  United  States  com- 
bined, which  certainly  proves  the  quality  of  the  horses 
they  sell. 

The  firm  has  two  stables  in  Chicago,  one  at  Forty- 
third  and  Halsted  streets,  adjoining  the  Dexter  pavilion, 
and  the  other  at  Fifty-ninth  and  Paulina  streets.  The 
former  is  the  finest  appointed  sales  stable  in  the  stock- 
yards. It  has  a  capacity  of  eighty-five  head,  and  is 
fitted  with  every  convenience.  The  training  barn  is  the 
most  up-to-date  in  America,  with  box  stalls  for  over  100 
horses,  and  a  beautiful  park  for  exercising  and  training 
their  horses. 


LAKE  VIEWS   IN   DOUGLAS   PARK. 


CHAPTER   XXII. 


CHICAGO'S   MANUFACTURING   INTERESTS. 


'HICAGO'S  growth  and  greatness  can 
be  best  measured  by  the  story  of  the 
city's  manufacturers.  Favored  by 
location  and  the  accessibility  of  cheap 
fuel,  iron,  lumber,  clay,  sand  and 
other  raw  materials  for  a  score  or 
more  of  the  most  important  indus- 
tries, Chicago  has  become  the  manu- 
facturing wonder  of  the  world.  Dur- 
ing the  past  twenty-five  years  the 
forward  strides  of  the  city's  factories 
have  outstripped  all  precedents.  The 
gains  made  during  this  last  quarter  century  have  been 
so  marvelous  as  to  arouse  the  envy  and  wonder  of  all 
other  centers  of  industry.  Coupled  with  Chicago's  near- 
ness to  the  unmeasured  natural  products  of  the  Middle 
West,  has  been  the  cheapness  of  land  and  its  natural 
and  inevitably  advantageous  location,  as  the  main  gate- 
way for  the  transcontinental  traffic  of  the  country. 

Nowhere  in  the  world  has  such  a  record  been  made 
in  the  number  and  diversity  of  manufacturing  inter- 
ests, in  the  great  capital  invested,  in  the  annual  output 
and  in  the  hundreds  of  thousands  of  men  and  women 
employed.  The  congestion  of  traffic  in  the  streets,  the 
crowded  side-walks  of  the  down-town  districts,  the 
street  cars,  carriages,  trucks  and  motors,  the  disarray  of 
busy  streets,  the  worn  out  pavements,  the  dirt,  the 
grime,  the  very  smoke  which  gives  Chicago  its  reputa- 
tion as  an  unclean  city,  are  all  evidences  of  a  manufac- 
turing growth  without  parallel.  In  the  terrific  pace  set 
by  Chicago's  manufacturing  interests,  the  municipality 
has  been  well-nigh  overwhelmed  in  dealing  with  the 
questions  of  public  utility,  convenience  and  safety.  But 
at  the  same  time  the  great  manufacturing  interests  have 
always  stood  for  all  that  is  best  in  Chicago's  public 
spirit,  civic  pride  and  municipal  advancement.  To  the 


great  wealth  developed  by  these  industries  is  due  every 
movement  for  the  beautification  of  the  city,  for  better 
streets,  better  traffic  facilities,  better  schools,  greater 
parks  and  purer  civil  government.  Already  the  city  is 
surrounded  by  a  cordon  of  manufacturing  centers  to 
which  many  of  the  larger  industries  have  been  forced  to 
move.  There  are  being  built  the  most  modern  plants. 
Industrial  communities  are  being  started  that  have 
drawn  thousands  from  the  crowded  and  unsanitary  sec- 
tions of  the  city.  In  this  way  the  inevitable  congestion 
of  the  down-town  streets  and  the  terminals  of  the  rail- 
roads is  being  relieved,  the  border  expansion  being  but 
the  natural  consequence  of  the  tremendous  industrial 
strides  of  the  city. 

Chicago's  greatest  industrial  development  may  be 
said  to  have  set  in  about  the  year  1880.  There  was 
invested  in  manufacturing  in  Chicago  at  that  time 
upwards  of  $68,800,000.  At  the  close  of  the  year  1900 
this  investment  had  grown  almost  nine-fold,  the  aggre- 
gate being  over  $534,000,000.  This  increase  of  nearly 
$450,000,000  in  twenty  years  has  never  been  equaled. 
The  total  sum  now  invested  in  the  manufacturing  inter- 
ests of  the  city  will  approximate  $650,000,000,  show- 
ing a  continued  advance  for  the  last  five  years  of 
approximately  twenty  per  cent.  From  1890  to  1900 
the  percentage  of  increase  was  forty-eight,  and  every- 
thing points  to1  a  larger  increase  during  the  present 
decade.  The  output  of  these  great  industries  now 
aggregates  over  one  billion  dollars.  In  1880,  Chicago's 
factories  produced  only  $248,995,000,  rising  to 
$880,945,000  in  1900,  and  by  the  latest  estimates  has 
well  passed  the  billion  mark.  New  York  and  Pittsburg, 
although  their  gains  have  been  tremendous  in  the  same 
decade,  can  show  no  such  advance. 

Chicago's     manufacturers,     twenty-five    years   ago, 
employed  less  than  80,000  wage  earners.     Its  factories 

1G1 


162 


THE   CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 


now  give  employment  to  over  300,000  and  the  wages 
paid  twenty-five  years  ago  have  increased  from,  approx- 
imately $35,000,000  to  nearly  $175,000,000  In  the  last 
•quarter  century  Chicago's  manufacturing  interests  have 
passed  all  American  rivals,  except  New  York.  This 
supremacy  has  not  only  been  attained  in  the  value  of 
the  total  output,  but  in  the  capital  invested,  the  number 
and  size  of  the  plants,  the  number  of  wage  earners  and 
wages  paid  and  in  the  cost  of  the  raw  material  used. 
Chicago's  manufacturing  energies  show  no  disposition 
to  go  back  or  even  to  remain  stationary.  The  growth 
continues  strong  and  vigorous. 

Despite  the  great  combination  in  industrial  enter- 
prises, Chicago's  increase  shows  a  larger  proportion  of 
smaller  factories  than  in  enterprises  involving  a  million 
dollars  or  over.  Combinations  have  had  no  diminish- 
ing effect  upon  the  total  capital  invested  in  Chicago's 
industries  nor  in  the  number  of  employees  and  the 
wages  paid  them,  nor  in  the  aggregate  of  the  output 
or  the  value  of  the  products.  To-day  the  scale  of  wages 
paid  in  the  factories  of  Chicago  is  higher  than  ever 
before.  The  length  of  the  working  day  is  less  than  it 
was  ten  years  ago.  In  increasing  the  capacity  of  their 
plants  Chicago  manufacturers  have  looked  into  the 
future,  and  while  the  comparison  of  the  capital  invested 
is  relatively  small,  still  the  volume  of  business  done  is 
growing  by  such  leaps  and  bounds  that  whatever  has 
been  sacrificed  in  percentage  of  profits  is  being  more 
than  made  up  by  the  increase  in  volume  of  business 
done  in  practically  all  lines. 

Chicago  represents  not  less  than  two-thirds  of  the 
manufacturing  potentiality  of  the  entire  state  of  Illinois. 
The  factories  of  the  city  and  the  suburbs  and  the  towns, 
practically  a  part  of  Chicago,  are  increasing  in  number 
and  in  the  value  of  their  output,  at  a  rate  greater  than 
all  the  rest  of  the  state  combined.  This  is  in  a  measure 
largely  due  to  the  convenience  of  transportation  facili- 
ties, the  ability  to  secure  power  without  a  large  invest- 
ment for  a  motive  plant  and  the  general  accessibility 
to  the  market.  Some  of  the  larger  institutions,  in 
order  to  avoid  the  annoyance  of  labor  troubles  and  the 
great  investment  in  realty  have  gone  to  country  towns, 
but  this  had  no  appreciable  effect  on  the  city's  steady, 
onward  growth.  The  effect,  however,  has  been  to  give 
the  country  outside  of  Chicago  an  increase  in  the  num- 
ber of  wrage  earners.  The  increase  in  the  number  of 
factory  workers  in  Chicago,  during  the  last  fifteen  years 
has  been  somewhat  over  fifty  per  cent.  For  the  rest 
of  the  state  the  increase  has  been  over  sixty  per  cent. 
This  same  rate  of  increase  holds  good  throughout  the 
state  as  to  the  total  wages  paid  and  the  value  of 
products.  As  many  of  the  industries  have  gone  to 
nearby  towns,  their  advantages  and  increases  can  all 
be  justly  recorded  as  part  of  Chicago's  tremendous 
industrial  growth. 


The  Republic  Iron  &,  Steel  Company  was  incor- 
porated May  3,  1899,  under  the  laws  of  the  state  of 
New  Jersey,  with  a  capital  stock  of  $55,000,000.  A 
large  number  of  the  most  prominent  steel  companies 
in  the  country  were  consolidated  under  one  manage- 
ment. The  principal  products  of  the  company  are  pig 
iron,  bar  iron  and  steel,  splice  bars,  steel  billets,  steel 
rails,  bolts,  nuts,  screws,  car  axles,  harrow  teeth,  T-rails, 
agricultural  shapes,  etc.  The  annual  capacity  of  the 
plants  exceeds  1,000,000  tons  of  finished  iron  and  steel, 
and  600,000  tons  of  pig  iron. 

The  capital  stock  authorized  $25,000,000  7  per  cent 
cumulative  preferred  and  $30,000,000  common,  each  of 
the  par  value  of  $100  per  share;  $20,852,000  of  the  pre- 
ferred and  $27,352,000  of  the  common  stocks  are  issued 
and  outstanding,  of  which  the  company  holds  in  its 
treasury  $435,100  of  the  preferred  and  $161,000  of  the 
common  stock.  The  preferred  stockholders  are  entitled 
to  priority  as  to  assets  and  dividends. 

Dividends  on  preferred  7  per  cent  per  annum  pay- 
able quarterly,  were  paid  regularly  from  October  i, 
1899,  to  October  i,  1903.  None  since.  The  fiscal 
year  ends  June  30.  The  registrar  of  stock  is  the  Chase 
National  Sank,  New  York,  and  the  stock  transfer 
office  is  the  City  Trust  Company,  New  York.  The 
stock  transfer  books  close  about  twenty  days  before  the 
date  of  the  annual  meeting,  and  fifteen  days  before  the 
date  of  the  payment  of  the  annual  dividends.  The 
annual  meeting  is  the  third  Wednesday  in  October  at 
Jersey  City.  The  bonds  consist  of  $10,000,000  of 
thirty-year  5  per  cent  gold  mortgage  bonds  payable 
in  1934. 

The  company  operates  the  following  properties : 

Ore  Properties — Cambria  Mine,  Lillie  Mine,  Mar- 
quette  Range,  Negaunee,  Michigan ;  Wills  Mine, 
McKinley,  Minnesota;  Franklin  Mine,  Bessemer  Mine, 
Victoria  Mine,  Pettit  Mine,  Kinney  Mine,  Missabe 
Range,  Fay  Mine,  Virginia,  Minnesota ;  Mahoning  Ore 
&  Steel  Co.  (three-fiftieths  interest),  Hibbing,  Minne- 
sota ;  Union  Ore  Company  (one-half  interest),  Virginia, 
Minnesota ;  Antoine  Ore  Company  (one-half  interest), 
Iron  Mountain,  Michigan ;  Brown  &  Red  Hematic  Ore 
Mines,  near  Birmingham,  Alabama. 

Coke  Properties — Connellsville  Coke  Works,  Atche- 
son,  Pennsylvania ;  Pioneer  Coke  Ovens,  Thomas,  Ala- 
bama; Warner  Coke  Ovens,  Birmingham,  Alabama 
District ;  Woodside  Coking  Coal  Lands  (Connellsville 
District)  Nicholson,  Pennsylvania. 

Coal  Properties — Washington  County  Steam  Coal 
Lands,  Clokeyville,  Pennsylvania;  Springfield  Mine 
(Wilmington  &  Springfield  Coal  Company),  Spring- 
field, Illinois;  Sayreton  Mine,  Warner  Mine,  Thompson 
Mine,  on  Pioneer  property  near  Birmingham,  Alabama. 

Limestone  Properties — Croton  Limestone  &  Brick 
Company  (interest),  New  Castle,  Pennsylvania;  Dale 


THE   CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 


163 


Limestone  Works  (on  Pioneer  property)  near  Birming- 
ham, Alabama;  Union  Limestone  Company  (interest), 
Lowellville,  Ohio ;  Lake  Erie  Limestone  Company, 
Carbon,  Pennsylvania. 

Blast  Furnaces — Pioneer,  No.  I,  Pioneer,  No.  2, 
Pioneer,  No.  3,  Thomas,  Alabama;  Atlantic,  New  Cas- 
tle, Pennsylvania :  Hannah,  Haselton,  Yottngstown, 
Ohio ;  Hall,  Sharon,  Pennsylvania. 

Steel  Plants — Bessemer  Steel  Plant,  Bessemer 
Steel  Rail  Mill,  Youngstown,  Ohio ;  Birmingham  Open 
Hearth  Steel  Plant,  Birmingham,  Alabama. 

Railroads  and  Docks — Spring-field  &  Northern  Rail- 
road, Springfield,  Illinois;  Thomas  &  Sayreton  Railway 
and  other  Industrial  Railways  in  Birmingham  District, 
Sharon  Connecting  Railroad,  Sharon,  Pennsylvania; 
Madison  County  Belt  Railroad,  Alexandria,  Indiana; 
Mahoning  &  Shenango  Dock  (two-ninths  interest), 
Ashtabula,  Ohio ;  Union  Dock  Company  (one-ninth 
interest),  Ashtabula,  Ohio. 

Rolling  Mills — Alexandria  Works,  Alexandria, 
Indiana;  Alabama  Works,  Birmingham,  Alabama; 
Andrews  Works,  Youngstown,  Ohio;  Atlantic  Works, 
New  Castle,  Pennsylvania;  Birmingham  Rolling  Mill 
Works,  Birmingham,  Alabama ;  Brown-Bonnell  Works, 
Youngstown,  Ohio ;  Central  Works,  Brazil,  Indiana ; 
Corns  Works,  Massillon,  Ohio ;  Eagle  Works,  Ironton, 
Ohio ;  Indiana  Works,  Muncie,  Indiana ;  Inland  Works, 
East  Chicago,  Indiana;  Mahoning  Valley  Works, 
Youngstown.  Ohio;  Muncie  Works,  Muncie,  Indiana; 
Mitchell-Tranter  Works,  Covington,  Kentucky ;  Sharon 
Works,  Sharon,  Pennsylvania;  Sylvan  Works,  Moline. 
Illinois;  Springfield  Works,  Springfield,  Illinois;  Toledo 
Works,  Toledo,  Ohio;  Tudor  Works,  East  St.  Louis, 
Illinois;  Terre  Haute  Works,  Terre  Haute,  Indiana; 
Wabash  Works,  Terre  Haute,  Indiana. 

These  properties  include  valuable  iron  and  coal 
mines,  and  coal  and  limestone  lands  in  Pennsylvania. 
Alabama,  Michigan,  Illinois  and  Minnesota,  chief 
among  them  being  the  Pioneer  properties  at  Birming- 
ham, Alabama,  which  comprises  26,000  acres,  of  which 
14,000  acres  are  underlaid  with  coal  of  excellent  qual- 
ity, suitable  for  coking  and  general  steam  purposes, 
and  10,000  acres,  rich  in  brown  and  red  ores;  the  Frank- 
lin group  and  the  Pettit  and  Kinney  Mines  on  the 
Missabe  Range ;  Cambria  and  Lillie  Mines  on  the  Mar- 
quette  Range,  an  interest  in  the  Mahoning  Ore  &  Steel 
Company,  and  a  half  interest  in  the  Union  Ore  Com- 
pany, and  Antoine  Ore  Company  (all  being  well-known 
iron  properties) ;  also  some  800  acres  of  coking  coal 
lands  in  the  Connellsville  District,  2,000  acres  of  steam 
coal  lands  in  Washington  County,  Pennsylvania,  and 
200  acres  steam  coal  lands  in  Illinois. 

The  officers  of  this  company  are  as  follows:  Presi- 
dent, Alexis  W.  Thompson ;  Chairman  Executive  Com- 
mittee, G.  Watson  French  ;  Vice-Presidents :  Archibald 


W.  Houston,  J.  F.  Taylor,  W.  H.  Hassinger,  George  A. 
Baird,  Edwin  N.  Ohl ;  Treasurer,  John  F.  Taylor;  Sec- 
retary and  General  Auditor,  H.  L.  Rownd;  Assistant 
Secretary,  Charles  E.  Graves;  General  Counsel,  Harry 
Rubens;  Solicitor,  R.  Jones,  Jr.;  General  Sales  Agent, 
Geo.  A.  Baird;  Assistant  General  Sales  Agent,  R.  P. 
Zint;  Purchasing  Agent,  W.  L.  Lee;  Traffic  Manager, 
H.  R.  Moore.  Directors:  Archibald  W.  Houston, 
L.  C.  Hanna,  Geo.  A.  Baird,  G.  Watson  French,  Alexis 
W.  Thompson,  Harry  Rubens,  Chas.  H.  Wacker,  John 
F.  Taylor,  George  R.  Sheldon,  William  H.  Hassinger, 
Grant  B.  Schley,  John  Crerar,  Jno.  W.  Gates,  Chas.  S. 
Guthrie.  Executive  Committee :  G.  Watson  French, 
Chairman;  Alexis  W.  Thompson,  John  F.  Taylor,  Harry 
Rubens,  George  A.  Baird,  Chas.  H.  Wacker. 

The  main  office  is  in  the  First  National  Bank  build- 
ing, Chicago,  Illinois.  The  New  York  office  is  at  in 
Broadway. 

The  Iroquois  Iron  Company,  one  of  the  largest 
plants  of  its  kind  in  the  Middle  West,  is  located  on 
the  Calumet  river,  and  extends  from  Ninety-fifth 
street  to  the  railroad  bridge,  over  which  run  the  trains 


M.  C.  ARMOUR. 

of  the  Baltimore  &  Ohio,  the  Fort  Wayne  and  the 
Lake  Shore  roads.  The  plant's  shipping  facilities  are 
excellent;  aside  from  the  proximity  of  the  railroads, 
their  ore  docks  lie  along  the  Calumet  river,  which 
accommodates  the  deepest  draft  vessels  which  transport 
ore  from  the  Lake  Superior  regions.  The  annual 
capacity  of  the  company's  furnaces,  which  give  employ- 
ment to  over  500  men,  is  200,000  tons  of  foundry  and 
malleable  pig  iron,  all  of  which  products  are  made  from 


164 


THE  CITY  OF  CHICAGO. 


Lake  Superior  and  Old  Range  ores.  Their  coke  for 
fuel  is  brought  in  trainload  lots  from  the  Stonega  and 
Connellsville  districts. 

The  officers  of  the  Iroquois  Iron  Company  are  M. 
Cochrane  Armour,  president ;  William  A.  Rogers,  vice- 
president;  George  A.  Tripp,  secretary  and  treasurer, 


over  the  old-fashioned  center-pier  swing  bridges  is  the 
absence  of  any  center-pier  and  large  obstructive  pier 
protection.  The  supports  for  the  Scherzer  Rolling  Lift 
Bridge  are  supplied  by  piers  placed  upon  the  sides  of 
the  navigable  channel,  and  upon  these  the  movable  parts 
of  the  bridge  roll  in  a  vertical  direction,  and  through 


VIEW  OF   IROQUOIS    IRON  COMPANY'S    PLANT. 


and  Samuel  A.  Kennedy,  superintendent.  Mr.  Armour, 
who  is  likewise  associated  with  Rogers,  Brown  &  Co., 
sales  agent  for  the  Iroquois  Company,  is  a  native  of 
Auburn,  New  York,  where  he  was  born  in  1851,  of 
Scotch  parents.  He  received  his  education  in  Michigan 
and  Wisconsin  high  schools,  and  came  to  Chicago  in 
1876.  He  was  connected  with  the  Adams  &  Westlake 
Company  of  this  city  for  ten  years,  and  in  1890  he  helped 
organize  the  firm  of  Rogers,  Brown  &  Co.  In  1899 
he  was  elected  president  of  the  Iroquois  Iron  Company, 
which  position  he  has  since  held.  He  is  also  vice-presi- 
dent of  the  Rogers  Iron  Mining  Company. 

The  Scherzer  Rolling  Lift  Bridge  is  the  invention 
of  the  late  William  Scherzer,  C.  E.  It  fulfills  every 
requirement  of  a  movable  bridge,  eliminating,  in  so 
doing,  all  the  objectionable  features  of  a  swing  bridge 
and  spanning  navigable  waters  in  the  simplest  and  least 
expensive  manner.  The  efficiency  of  this  type  of  bridge 
for  the  accommodation  of  heavy  land  and  water  traffic, 
and  its  many  points  of  superiority  over  a  swing  bridge, 
have  been  demonstrated  by  more  than  seventy  large 
Scherzer  Rolling  Lift  Bridges  constructed  during  the 
past  ten  years  and  in  successful  operation  for  the  prin- 
cipal railroad  companies  and  municipal  corporations 
in  the  United  States  and  abroad. 

The  chief  advantage  of  Scherzer  Rolling  Lift  Bridges 


the  clear  opening  thus  obtained  vessels  are  enabled  to 
pass  rapidly.  A  partial  opening  of  the  bridge  will  usually 
suffice.  The  power  expended  and  the  time  occupied  in 
opening  and  closing  the  bridge  are  both  reduced  to  a 
minimum.  The  large  bridges  of  this  type  now  in  use 
are  usually  opened  or  closed  in  thirty  seconds,  and 
receive  highway  or  railroad  traffic  in  less  than  one 
minute  from  the  time  the  bridge  begins  to  close. 
Another  important  advantage  of  this  type  of  bridge  con- 
'  sists  in  the  absolute  protection  which  the  bridge  itself 
affords  against  accidents  when  opened.  In  the  open 
position  the  bridge  itself  forms  a  positive  signal  and 
barrier,  absolutely  preventing  vehicles  and  pedestrians 
from  falling  into  the  water,  which  accidents  are  very 
frequent  with  swing  "bridges  and  result  in  large  losses 
of  life. 

The  first  bridge  of  the  Scherzer  type  was  constructed 
across  the  Chicago  River  at  Van  Buren  street.  It  was 
completed  in  the  spring  of  1895,  and  has  been  used 
continuously  by  the  city  of  Chicago  for  the  heaviest 
highway  traffic,  and  is  now  carrying  both  highway  and 
electric  car  traffic  and  giving  complete  satisfaction. 

The  four-track  railroad  bridge  of  the  Scherzer  type 
conveying  the  Metropolitan  West  Side  Elevated  Rail- 
way Company's  lines  across  the  Chicago  River  midway 
between  Jackson  and  Van  Buren  streets  was  completed 


THE   CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 


165 


very  soon  after  the  Van  Buren  street  bridge.  It  is 
composed  of  two  similar  or  duplicate  bridges  placed 
side  by  side  and  firmly  coupled  together  so  as  to  oper- 
ate as  one  bridge,  or  when  desired  may  be  uncoupled  in 
a  few  minutes  and  operate  separately,  thus  insuring  a 
crossing  for  trains  at  all  times.  This  bridge  is  operated 
by  electricity  and  is  opened  or  closed  within  thirty 
seconds.  The  satisfaction  which  this  bridge  has  given 
can  be  no  better  shown  than  by  an  extract  from  a  letter 
to  Mr.  Scherzer,  written  by  Mr.  W.  E.  Baker,  general 
manager  of  the  Metropolitan  West  Side  Elevated  Rail- 
way Company,  under  date  of  July  12,  1897,  in  which 
he  says,  referring  to  this  subject : 

"It  was  completed  some  time  before  May  6,  1895, 
at  which  date  the  road  was  opened  and  the  bridge 
placed  in  active  service,  since  which  time  it  has  operated 
continuously,  and  of  itself  caused  no  delays  to  trains,  of 
which  there  are  and  have  been,  since  shortly  after  the 
date  of  opening  the  road,  about  1,200  daily  cross- 


requires  little  power  to  move  it  and  shows  no  evidence 
of  a  depreciation,  and  we  are  satisfied  with  it." 

The  North  Halsted  street  bridge  of  the  Scherzer 
type  was  completed  in  1897. 

The  State  street  bridge  of  the  Scherzer  type  was 
completed  in  1903.  It  replaced  a  very  obstructive  cen- 
ter-pier swing  bridge,  through  which  modern  vessels 
could  not  pass.  The  new  bridge  gives  a  clear  channel 
for  navigation  140  feet  wide.  It  was  constructed  by 
the  Sanitary  District  of  Chicago  in  connection  with 
similar  bridges  at  Randolph  street,  Harrison  street. 
Eighteenth  street  and  other  points  on  the  Chicago  River 
where  obstructive  center-pier  swing  bridges  had  to  be 
removed  in  order  to  secure  an  unobstructed  water  flow 
and  passage  for  vessels. 

Firmness  and  rigidity  under  heavy  loads  is  a  marked 
feature  of  the  Scherzer  Bridge,  and  is  due  to  a  great 
extent  to  the  simplicity  of  the  bridge  structure  as  com- 
pared with  other  movable  bridges  now  in  use.  This  is 


SCHERZER   ROLLING   LIFT   BRIDGE 

Across  the  Chicago  River  at  Entrance  to  Grand  Central  Station,  Chicago.     The  Longest  Span  Bascule  Bridge  in  the  World. 


ing  the  bridge.  We  do  not  make  any  charge  for  motive 
power  for  operating  the  bridge ;  it  is  too  small  to  be 
considered.  The  bridge  is  operated,  as  you  know,  by 
motors,  using  the  current  with  which  we  operate  the 
trains.  The  bridge  has  proved  rigid.  It  is  rapid  to  open 
and  shut,  has  never  shown  any  signs  of  failure;  it 


at  once  apparent  upon  inspection  of  the  bridge  itself 
or  the  views  herewith  presented.  Whether  compared 
with  the  best  class  of  swing  bridges  now  in  use,  with 
the  direct  lift  bridge,  of  which  that  at  South  Halsted 
street  is  an  example,  or  with  the  various  plans  of  experi- 
mental structures  intending  to  do  away  with  the  center- 


THE  CITY  OF  CHICAGO. 


pier,  the  Scherzer  Bridge  has  no  equal  for  simplicity, 
rigidity,  safety,  rapidity  of  operation,  economy,  effi- 
ciency or  durability.  This  is  demonstrated  by  the  fact 
that  the  principal  railroad  companies  are  rapidly  remov- 
ing their  center-pier  swing  bridges  and  replacing  them 
with  modern  Scherzer  Rolling  Lift  Bridges. 

The  New  York,  New  Haven  &  Hartford  Railroad 
Company  constructed  a  six-track  Scherzer  Bridge 
across  Fort  Point  Channel  at  the  entrance  to  the  South 


struction  for  this  company  at  Cos  Cob,  Westport,  over 
the  Housatonic  River  and  over  the  Connecticut  River, 
Connecticut ;  also  at  Neponset,  Massachusetts,  and  six- 
track  bridges  across  the  Bronx  and  Hutchinson  rivers, 
New  York.  All  of  these  modern  bridges  take  the  place 
of  discarded  center-pier  swing  bridges.  They  are 
intended  to  accommodate  and  expedite  the  increasing 
traffic  of  the  railroad  company  and  to  facilitate  the 
improvement  from  steam  to  electric  operation  of  trains. 


SCHERZER   ROLLING  LIFT   BRIDGE 

Across  the  Chicago  River  at  State  street,  Chicago.     Invented  by  William  Scherzer,  C.  E. 


Terminal  Station,  Boston,  Massachusetts,  in  1899.  This 
station  is  one  of  the  largest  and  most  important  ter- 
minal stations  in  the  world.  The  Scherzer  Bridge  was 
selected  by  the  railroad  company  because  it  fulfilled  the 
highest  requirements  of  a  movable  bridge.  It  has  been 
so  satisfactory  that  the  railroad  company  removed  its 
double-track  swing  bridge  at  Bridgeport,  Connecticut, 
and  replaced  it  with  a  Scherzer  Bridge,  completed  in 
1903.  Four-track  Scherzer  Bridges  are  now  under  con- 


Seven  Scherzer  Rolling  Lift  Bridges  have  already 
been  constructed  for  Greater  New  York ;  four  at  Boston, 
Massachusetts ;  five  at  Cleveland,  Ohio,  and  other  cities 
too  numerous  to  mention  here. 

One  of  the  illustrations  herewith  shows  the  double- 
track  railroad  Scherzer  Rolling  Lift  Bridge  constructed 
across  the  Chicago  River  at  the  entrance  to  the  Grand 
Central  Station,  Chicago.  This  bridge  is  the  longest 
span  bascule  bridge  in  the  world.  It  is  also  opened 


THE   CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 


167 


more  frequently  than  any  other  bridge  in  the  world.    It 
has  given  perfect  satisfaction  to  the  railroad  company. 

The  Scherzer  Rolling  Lift  Bridge  Company  also  has 
the  distinction  of  having  made  the  designs  and  plans 
for  and  constructed  the  eight-track  railroad  bridge 
across  the  Drainage  and  Ship  Canal,  Chicago.  This 
bridge  is  used  by  the  Pittsburg.  Cincinnati,  Chicago  & 
St.  Louis  Railway,  the  Chicago  Terminal  Traction  Rail- 
way, the  Chicago  Junction  Railway,  and  the  Baltimore 
&  Ohio  Railway.  It  is  the  largest  movable  railroad 
bridge  in  the  world  and  consists  of  four  double-track 
bridges  of  the  Scherzer  type  placed  side  by  side  to  be 
operated  either  jointly  or  separately,  as  desired. 

In  England  a  large  Scherzer  Bridge  has  already  been 
completed  for  the  South  Eastern  &  Chatham  Railway, 
near  London.  Others  are  under  construction  in  Ire- 
land, the  north  of  England,  Russia  and  Holland,  where 
the  Scherzer  type  of  bridge  is  superseding  and  replac- 
ing the  trunnion  type  of  bascule  bridge. 

A  distinguished  authority  has  stated :  "The  Scherzer 
type  is  the  bridge  of  perfection.  It  is  recognized  by  the 
engineering  profession  as  the  most  perfect  bascule 
bridge  in  existence.  It  is  a  monument  to  the  inventor." 
This  statement  is  verified  by  the  fact  that  all  of  the 
largest  and  most  important  movable  bridges  constructed 
during  the  past  ten  years  have  been  bridges  of  the 
Scherzer  type. 

William  Scherzer,  the  inventor  and  patentee  of  the 
Scherzer  Rolling  Lift  Bridges,  was  born  at  Peru,  La 
Salle  County,  Illinois,  on  January  27,  1858.  His  parents 
were  William  and  Wilhelmina  Scherzer.  His  early 
education  was  acquired  in  the  public  schools  of  Peru. 
Illinois.  At  the  age  of  fifteen  he  was  placed  in  charge 
of  a  private  tutor  with  a  view  of  preparing  him  for 
entrance  to  some  European  University.  At  the  age  of 
eighteen  he  entered  the  Polytechnicum  at  Zurich, 
Switzerland,  to  take  the  four  years  in  civil  engineering. 
He  was  graduated  with  honors  in  the  year  1880. 
Upon  his  return  to  the  United  States  William  Scherzer 
was  engaged  as  engineer  with  the  Matthiessen  & 
Hegeler  Zinc  Company,  remaining  with  that  company 
for  three  years.  For  the  following  eight  years  he  was 
employed  with  the  Pittsburg,  Fort  Wayne  &  Chicago 
Railway  Company,  the  Keystone  Bridge  Company  and 
the  Carnegie  Steel  Company,  leaving  the  latter  com- 
pany to  establish  an  office  as  consulting  engineer. 

One  of  the  problems  upon  which  he  was  consulted 
was  the  question  of  a  movable  bridge  to  carry  the  four 
tracks  of  the  Metropolitan  West  Side  Elevated  Railway 
across  the  Chicago  River,  to  the  business  center  of 
Chicago,  between  the  Jackson  street  and  Van  Buren 
street  swing  bridges.  A  swing  bridge  was  impossible 
because  it  would  interfere  with  the  movements  of  both  of 


the  existing  swing  bridges.  One  of  the  ablest  American 
engineers  submitted  to  the  management  of  the  railroad 
company  a  pivot  bascule  bridge  design,  similar  to  the 
Tower  bascule  bridge  at  London,  England,  which  was 
then  under  construction,  and  it  seemed  to  be  the  only 
feasible  solution  of  the  difficulties,  and  detail  plans  were 
prepared  for  the  construction  of  the  bridge,  but  in  work- 
ing out  the  details,  objectionable  features  became  more 
apparent.  The  bridge  question  was  becoming  critical 
and  the  management  of  the  railway  company  consulted 
William  Scherzer  with  reference  to  overcoming  the 
objectionable  features  of  the  design.  After  careful  study 
of  the  problems.  William  Scherzer  became  convinced 
that  it  was  impossible  to  eliminate  the  objectionable 


WILLIAM   SCHERZER. 

Inventor  of  the  Scherzer  Rolling  Lift  Bridges. 

features  of  the  pivot  or  trunnion  type  of  bascule  bridge. 
As  the  railroad  was  nearing  completion,  the  bridge 
problem  became  very  critical  and  induced  William 
Scherzer  to  endeavor  to  solve  the  problem  on  entirely 
new  lines.  This  ultimately  led  to  his  invention  of  the 
type  of  bridge  known  as  the  Scherzer  Rolling  Lift 
Bridge.  He  prepared  a  design  for  a  four-track  rolling 
lift  bridge,  which  was  at  once  adopted  by  the  railroad 
company  for  construction.  It  was  also  decided  by  the 
railroad  company  and  city  authorities  to  remove  the 
obstructive  center-pier  swing  bridge  at  Van  Buren 
street  and  replace  it  with  a  Scherzer  Rolling  Lift  Bridge. 
The  plans  for  both  of  these  bridges  were  completed  by 
William  Scherzer  shortly  before  his  death,  which 
occurred  on  July  20,  1893. 

The     complete     success     of    the     above-mentioned 


168 


THE  CITY  OF  CHICAGO. 


bridges  has  been  the  foundation  for  the  unparalleled 
success  and  rapid  adoption  and  use  of  the  Scherzer  Roll- 
ing Lift  Bridge  throughout  the  world.  The  invention 
of  the  Scherzer  Rolling  Lift  Bridge  formed  a  new  era 
in  movable  bridge  construction,  enabling  and  facilitating 
the  improvement  of  waterways  and  the  accommodation 
of  the  ever-increasing  railroad,  electric  railroad  and 
highway  traffic. 

William  Scherzer  was  unmarried.  He  was  a  member 
of  the  American  Society  of  Civil  Engineers,  the  Society 
of  Engineers  for  Western  Pennsylvania,  the  Western 
Society  of  Engineers,  The  American  Society  for  the 
Advancement  of  Science,  and  the  University  Club  of 
Chicago,  besides  a  number  of  social  clubs. 

Albert  H.  Scherzer,  president  and  chief  engineer  of 
The  Scherzer  Rolling  Lift  Bridge  Company,  was  born 
at  Peru,  La  Salle  County,  Illinois,  and  is  the  son  of 


ALBERT   H.   SCHERZER. 

President  and  Chief  Engineer,  The  Scherzer  Rolling  Lift  Bridge  Company. 

William  and  Wilhelmina  Scherzer.  After  completing  his 
preliminary  education  at  the  high  school  of  his  native 
city,  he  went  to  Europe,  where  considerable  time  was 
devoted  to  study  at  the  universities  in  Zurich,  Switzer- 
land. Returning  to  this  country  in  1882,  he  became  iden- 
tified with  the  Illinois  Zinc  Company  of  Peru,  Illinois, 
one  of  the  largest  firms  in  the  world  engaged  in  the 
smelting  and  rolling  of  sheet  zinc,  remaining  with  that 
company  for  the  following  eight  years.  In  1890  Mr. 
Scherzer  came  to  Chicago  and  entered  the  Union  Col- 
lege of  Law,  pursuing  the  regular  course  leading  to  the 
degree  of  LL.  B.,  and  graduating  therefrom  with  the 
class  of  '92.  He  subsequently  entered  upon  the  practice 


of  his  profession,  but  in  1893,  upon  the  death  of  his 
brother,  the  late  William  Scherzer,  the  inventor  and 
patentee  of  the  Scherzer  Rolling  Lift  Bridges,  he  gave 
his  attention  to  the  development  of  the  business  estab- 
lished by  him. 

Mr.  Scherzer  has  made  an  exhaustive  study  of  mov- 
able bridges,  and  in  pursuit  of  his  studies  along  this  line 
has  traveled  extensively  throughout  both  this  country 
and  Europe,  visiting  all  the  principal  structures  of  that 
class. 

Under  Mr.  Scherzer's  management  the  scope  of  the 
business  has  been  very  widely  extended.  In  addition 
to  the  many  large  railroad,  electric  railroad  and  highway 
bridges  of  the  Scherzer  type  in  successful  operation, 
more  than  thirty  of  the  largest  movable  bridges  in  the 
world  are  now  under  construction  in  the  United  States 
and  abroad  upon  the  designs  and  plans  and  under  the 
supervision  of  the  Scherzer  Company.  The  very  high 
standing  which  this  company  has  attained  under  the 
direction  of  Mr.  Scherzer  is  evidenced  by  the  fact  that 
they  are  retained  as  consulting  engineers  by  the  prin- 
cipal railroad  companies  and  the  largest  municipal  cor- 
porations for  the  largest,  most  important  and  difficult 
movable  bridges. 

Mr.  Scherzer  was  married  to  Miss  Donna  Gunckel 
Adair  of  Dayton,  Ohio,  in  May,  1902. 

Samuel  Worthington  McMunn,  president  and  treas- 
urer of  the  Kindl  Car  Truck  Company,  is  one  of  the 
best  known  manufacturers  in  Chicago.  His  offices  are 
at  135  Adams  street.  He  has  extensive  business  inter- 
ests both  in  Chicago  and  throughout  the  West.  Mr. 
McMunn  was  born  at  Sharon,  Noble  County,  Ohio, 
March  20,  1850,  the  son  of  Isaac  and  Maria  McMunn. 
He  attended  the  public  schools  and  later  Sharon  Acad- 
emy in  his  home  town.  For  some  time  after  leaving 
the  academy  he  taught  school,  when  he  entered  business 
in  the  employ  of  the  Ohio  River  Salt  Company  at  St. 
Louis  and  later  became  a  member  of  the  firm  of  G.  L. 
Joy  &  Company,  the  successors  to  that  concern. 
Shortly  after  this  he  became  president  of  the  American 
Transportation  Company  and  also  president  of  the 
American  Brake  Company.  From  1884  to  1889  he 
lived  in  New  York  as  the  manager  of  the  Consolidated 
Coupling  Company.  In  the  latter  year  Mr.  McMunn 
moved  to  Pittsburg,  where  he  was  identified  for  five 
years  with  the  Carnegie  Steel  Company.  He  came  to 
Chicago  in  1894  as  the  manager  of  the  Otis  Steel  Com- 
pany. He  later  became  interested  in  the  Kindl  Car 
Truck  Company  and  is  at  present  the  active  head  and 
treasurer  of  that  concern.  Mr.  McMunn  is  also  a  di- 
rector of  the  Raymond  Concrete  Pile  Company,  second 
vice-president  of  the  Oro  Verde  Mining  Company  of 
Colorado,  director  of  the  Page  Woven  Wire  Fence 
Company,  president  of  the  United  States  Steel  Piling 


THE   CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 


171 


McCord  is  president  of  the  Chicago  &  Calumet  River 
Railroad  Company. 

Mr.  McCord  was  married  on  December  26,  1896, 
to  Emily  Davis  Ro\ve  of  Evanston,  daughter  of  Mrs. 
C.  H.  Rowe.  They  have  one  daughter,  three  years  old. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Chicago  Club,  the  Union 
League  Club,  the  University  Club  and  the  Princeton 
Club  of  New  York.  Mr.  McCord  is  an  enthusiastic 
automobilist  and  his  interest  in  golf  is  evidenced  by 
membership  in  both  the  Glen  View  Club  and  the  Skokie 
Country  Club. 

John  J.  Cummings  was  born  in  Christian  County. 
Illinois,  July  25,  1874.  He  is  president  of  the  Cum- 
mings Car  Company,  the  largest  manufacturers  of  street 


ground  railway  in  London  uses  their  trucks  and  when 
the  Paris  &  Versailles  division  of  the  Western  Railway 
of  France  was  built,  they  were  authorized  to  purchase 
the  best  equipment  in  America,  and  they  bought  the 
trucks  from  this  firm,  although  Chicago  is  1,000  miles 
inland.  The  entire  lines  owned  by  the  Australian  gov- 
ernment are  furnished  with  them,  the  same  being  true 
of  the  cities  of  Havana,  Cuba,  and  Glasgow,  Scotland, 
Brazil  and  Peru  are  fitted  out  as  well,  and  even  Siam 
has  its  quota. 

The  Cummings  Car  Company  plant  at  Paris,  Illi- 
nois, which  has  attracted  the  attention  of  the  industrial 
world,  is  known  throughout  the  country  as  the  most 
modern  manufacturing  plant  of  its  kind  in  the  United 


VIEW    OF    CUMMINGS    CAR    COMPANY'S    PLANT. 


railway  cars  in  this  state,  and  also  president  of  the 
McGuire-Cummings  Manufacturing  Company,  builders 
of  trucks,  snow  sweepers,  sprinklers,  electric  locomo- 
tives and  other  railway  specialties. 

This  latter  company  has  been  in  business  twenty- 
one  years,  and  is  known  almost  as  well  in  foreign  coun- 
tries as  at  home.  Their  trucks  are  running  on  all  the 
elevated  and  surface  lines  in  Chicago,  and  on  railways 
in  all  parts  of  the  country,  from  New  York  to  San 
Francisco,  as  well  as  in  Canada.  These  companies 
employ  about  1,000  men,  and  have  shipped  their 
product  to  all  parts  of  the  globe.  In  Africa,  South 
America,  Cuba,  Australia,  England,  Japan  and  the 
Continent  are  seen  rolling  stock  manufactured  by  them. 
The  Metropolitan  tramways  of  London  use  their  pneu- 
matic sprinkling  cars.  The  "Tuppenny  Tube"  under- 


states, and  covers  thirty  acres.  The  east  building  is 
the  main  erecting  shop,  600  feet  long  by  175  feet  wide, 
with  floor  space  for  140  cars.  It  is  crossed  with  fire 
walls.  The  buildings  east  of  this  shop  include  a  finish- 
ing shop,  cabinet  shop,  wood-working  machine  shop, 
truck  shop,  machine  shop  and  forging  shop.  Between 
these  and  the  main  erecting  shop  is  a  76-foot  transfer 
table,  operating  electrically  the  full  length  of  the  fac- 
tories and  to  the  car-loading  table.  An  iron  and  steel 
warehouse  and  three  dry  lumber  warehouses,  a  power 
plant  with  a  capacity  of  700  horsepower  and  entire  elec- 
tric transmission  and  brick  dry  kilns,  with  the  latest 
improved  lumber-drying  appliances,  complete  the 
equipment  of  this  model  institution.  The  plant 
embodies  the  most  modern  features  of  first-class  con- 
struction, evidenced  by  the  lowest  insurance  rate  of  any 


172 


THE   CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 


car  plant  in  the  United  States.  It  is  located  on 
the  Big  Four,  New  York  Central  Lines,  Cairo  Divi- 
sion of  the  Big  Four  and  the  Vandalia-Pennsylvania 
system. 

Chicago  Bridge  &  Iron  Works.  Going  in  any  direc- 
tion from  Chicago  the  traveler  will  notice  in  many  of 
the  small  cities  and  villages  steel  water  towers  or  large 
round-bottom  tanks  high  in  air.  If  the  traveler  were 
to  examine  the  manufacturer's  stamp  on  tower  or  tank 
he  would  find  that  most  of  them  had  been  constructed 
by  the  Chicago  Bridge  &  Iron  Works. 

Up  to  1894  the  company  had  been  engaged  in  the 
building  of  bridges,  but  about  that  year  the  small  towns 
throughout  the  country  began  to  construct  waterworks 
systems  and  the  Chicago  Bridge  &  Iron  Works  was 
the  first  concern  in  the  field  to  meet  the  demand  for 
tanks  and  towers.  The  concern  developed  the  present 


its  energies  to  the  manufacture  and  erection  of  highway 
and  railway  bridges  and  many  a  country  road  bears  tes- 
timony to  its  industry. 

In  1903  the  properties  of  the  Chicago  Bridge  & 
Iron  Company  were  taken  over  by  Mr.  Horace  E. 
Horton,  who  for  some  time  had  been  the  owner  of  all 
the  stock  of  the  company.  Since  that  time  his  business 
has  been  transacted  under  the  name  of  the  Chicago 
Bridge  &  Iron  Works.  The  officers  of  the  company 
are  Horace  E.  Horton,  proprietor;  George  T.  Horton, 
engineer  and  manager;  Henry  W.  Wilder,  office  director. 
Alfred  Stromberg,  founder  and  vice-president  of  the 
Stromberg-Carlson  Telephone  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany of  Chicago,  and  Rochester,  New  York,  whose 
plant  is  recognized  as  the  most  extensive  and  complete 
in  the  independent  telephone  field  of  America,  is  a  native 
of  Sweden,  born  near  the  city  of  Stockholm,  March  9, 


VIEW    OF    PLANT,    CHICAGO    BRIDGE   &   IRON    WORKS. 


type  of  hemispherical  bottom,  steel  storage  tanks  for 
pressure,  a  large  number  of  which  have  been  constructed 
within  the  last  ten  years.  The  manufacture  of  water 
towers  followed  and  the  company  became  more  widely 
known  as  a  builder  of  water  tanks  and  towers  than  of 
bridges.  For  the  same  reason  it  has  become  more 
widely  known  throughout  the  United  States  than  any 
other  bridge  company. 

The  Chicago  Bridge  &  Iron  Works  has  erected 
water  towers  in  every  state  in  the  Union  except  six,  and 
has  built  a  large  number  in  Canada,  Mexico  and  Cuba. 
The  company's  plant  is  located  in  Washington  Heights 
at  One  Hundred  and  Fifth  and  Throop  streets,  between 
the  main  lines  of  the  Rock  Island  and  Pan  Handle  rail- 
roads. On  this  site,  which  is  about  ten  acres  in  area,  the 
company  built  its  first  shop  in  1889.  It  was  constructed 
of  wood  and  in  the  fall  of  1897  was  destroyed  by  fire. 
The  following  spring  it  was  rebuilt  entirely  of  brick 
and  steel.  For  the  first  five  years  the  company  devoted 


1 86 1.  Mechanical  achievement  was  a  familiar  idea  to 
him  from  infancy,  he  being  the  son  of  Andrew  Strom- 
berg,  one  of  the  largest  threshing-machine  manufac- 
turers in  Sweden.  His  early  training  in  electrical  work 
he  acquired  in  his  native  country,  side  by  side  with 
L.  M.  Erickson,  the  well-known  European  telephone 
manufacturer.  External  influences,  however,  served 
to  indicate  the  direction  in  which  the  marked  abilities 
and  energies  of  the  boy  were  to  operate,  and  whetted 
his  enthusiasm  in  the  progressive  field  of  labor  in  which 
he  has  won  his  great  success.  Before  coming  to  America 
he  had  some  practical  experience  in  his  chosen  spe- 
cialty, having  assisted  in  the  tests  of  the  first  pair  of 
telephone  instruments  sent  to  Stockholm  by  the  Bel! 
Telephone  Company  and  having  had  charge  of  part  of 
the  work  of  installing  their  exchange,  and  later  he  con- 
ducted the  construction  and  installation  of  numerous 
exchanges  throughout  the  northern  peninsula  and  Den- 
mark. 


THE   CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 


173 


The  year  of  1884  found  him  entering  upon  his  career 
in  this  country  in  the  repair  department  of  the  Chicago 
Telephone  Company,  where  he  was  given  full  charge, 
not  only  of  the  repairing  but  the  changing  of  all  instru- 
ments and  the  practical  application  of  new  ideas  issuing 
from  the  engineering  department.  In  1885  young 
Stromberg  entered  the  instrument  department  of  the 
Bell  Telephone  Company  in  Chicago,  and  for  the  next 
five  years  was  prominently  connected  with  the  manu- 
facturing department  of  the  company's  rapidly  expand- 
ing business,  inventing  in  the  meantime  a  number  of 
improvements,  some  of  which  are  still  used  by  that 
company. 

In  1890  he  associated  himself  with  the  Chicago  Elec- 
tric Protective  Company  as  superintendent  of  their 
burglar  alarm  system,  and  while  with  that  company 
made  many  improvements  and  inventions,  which  are 
still  utilized  by  them,  and  through  which  was  practi- 
cally secured  to  them  the  entire  control  of  this  line  of 
business  against  the  strongest  opposition  by  the  Bell 
Telephone  Company. 

Upon  the  expiration  of  the  fundamental  patents  of 
the  telephone  receiver  in  1893,  Mr.  Stromberg,  with 
Mr.  Andrew^  Carlson,  organized  the  Stromberg-Carlson 
Telephone  Manufacturing  Company,  whose  growth 
since  that  year,  both  in  point  of  industrial  dimensions 
and  of  reputation,  is  among  the  notable  developments 
in  the  electrical  field.  The  company  was  incorporated 
and  all  the  capital  possessed  by  Mr.  Stromberg  and  Mr 
Carlson,  which  was  considerable,  was  put  in  the  busi- 
ness. The  status  of  the  company  was  sound.  Conscien- 
tious care  was  taken  not  to  infringe  any  valid  patent 
claims  of  other  concerns,  and  the  electrical  and 
mechanical  engineers  employed  were  experts  in  their 
special  lines.  The  enterprise  has  always  been  under  the 
control  of  Mr.  Stromberg  and  Mr.  Carlson.  The  estab- 
lishment was  located  on  West  Jackson  boulevard  and 
Clinton  street,  the  massive  brick  building  and  the  nearly 
half  of  a  block  it  covers,  being  owned  by  the  company 
and  valued  at  $400,000.  From  fifteen  'phones  per  day 
the  output  increased  to  seven  ruindred.  Nearly  all  the 
improvements  manufactured  by  the  company  are  pro- 
tected by  United  States  patents,  issued  to  Mr.  Strom- 
berg or  to  him  and  Mr.  Carlson  jointly,  and  these  gen- 
tlemen have  done  more  for  the  independent  telephone 
patrons  than  all  the  other  manufacturers  combined. 

By  the  beginning  of  1902  the  business  had  grown 
to  such  proportions  that  additional  capital  was  neces- 
sary to  meet  the  demands  upon  the  company  for  its 
apparatus  and  telephones,  and  Mr.  Stromberg  suc- 
ceeded in  interesting  capital  from  Rochester,  New  York. 
The  result  was  that  the  Stromberg-Carlson  Telephone 
Manufacturing  Company  was  organized  under  the  laws 
of  the  State  of  New  York,  and  succeeded  to  the  busi- 
ness of  the  company,  which  had  been  organized  under 


the  laws  of  Illinois,  and  Mr.  Stromberg  was  made  vice- 
president  of  the  new  company.  The  capital  of  the  new 
company  was  $3,000,000,  and  plans  were  made  for 
building  another  factory  in  Rochester.  Since  that  time 
the  capital  has  been  increased,  owing  to  the  growing 
business  of  the  company,  and  now  it  is  $6,000,000,  and 
the  factory  at  Rochester  has  been  built  covering  over 
seven  acres  of  floor  space,  and  all  the  latest  and  best 
machinery  has  been  put  in  to  manufacture  the  highest 
type  of  apparatus  and  instruments. 

The  company  employs  about  3,000  people  in  all 
departments,  and  Mr.  Stromberg's  relations  with  his 
force  and  his  good  judgment  in  selecting  employees  are 
the  most  satisfactory  and  creditable.  He  is  just  in  every 


ALFRED    STROMBERG. 

way  and  as  his  business  has  prospered  he  has  advanced 
the  pay  of  his  men  without  solicitation.  Throughout 
his  rise  to  his  present  enviable  position  he  has  main- 
tained the  same  pleasant  attitude  toward  his  help  and 
given  the  same  careful  attention  to  the  needs  of  his 
patrons,  so  that  by  both  classes  he  is  much  appreciated. 

Mr.  Stromberg  is  a  family  man,  having  been 
married  in  1866  to  Miss  Ellen  Johnson  of  Chicago. 
They  have  a  family  of  four  children,  Minnie,  Alice,  Emil 
and  Eva.  In  politics  Mr.  Stromberg  is  a  stanch  Repub- 
lican, but  has  never  aspired  to  any  prominence  in  this 
direction,  his  energies  and  interest  having  been  concen- 
trated upon  his  chosen  industry.  One  who  has  enjoyed 
a  long  business  acquaintance  with  our  subject  says  of 
him : 

''In  some  respects  Mr.  Stromberg  is  the  most 
remarkable  man  I  have  ever  known.  Of  humble  origin, 


174 


THE  CITY  OF  CHICAGO. 


he  lias  by  native  ability,  coupled  with  persistent  effort, 
risen  to  his  present  high  position  in  the  business  world 
as  head  of  its  largest  independent  telephone  company. 
His  quick  perception  enables  him  to  grasp  a  situation 
at  once  and  to  master  every  detail  of  the  proposition 
involved.  His  life  is  wrapped  up  in  his  enterprise,  and 
he  has  put  work  into  it  which  no  one  can  appreciate 
except  those  who  are  intimately  associated  with  him. 
A  capable  man  at  the  outset,  he  has  constantly 
developed  with  the  growth  of  his  business  interests. 
From  a  working  mechanic  with  a  daily  wage  of  two  dol- 


pendent  factory  in  the  city,  if  not  in  the  entire  country, 
is  that  of  the  Automatic  Electric  Company,  manufactur- 
ing automatic  telephone  switchboards  and  apparatus. 
This  company  is  the  successor  of  the  Strowger  Auto- 
matic Telephone  Exchange  in  the  manufacturing  field. 
Three  or  four  years  before  the  launching  of  the  Inde- 
pendent telephone  movement,  A.  B.  Strowger  brought 
to  Chicago  a  crude  model  of  an  apparatus  designed  to 
do  away  with  telephone  operators.  This  was  called 
an  automatic  telephone  switch.  Strowger  showed  his 
invention  to  various  people  in  an  endeavor  to  secure 


AUTOMATIC   ELECTRIC  COMPANY'S    PLANT. 


lars  to  a  man  of  large  affairs  arid  wealth  in  the  short 
space  of  a  dozen  years  is  a  record  which  few  can  boast ; 
but  with  it  Mr.  Stromberg  has  retained  his  simple  and 
direct  manners  and  the  respect  and  esteem  of  his  asso- 
ciates." 

Automatic  Electric  Company.  Following  the  birth 
of  the  independent  telephone  movement,  some  ten 
years  ago,  Chicago  became  the  center  for  the  manufac- 
ture of  apparatus  for  the  independent  companies,  and 
at  this  date  there  are  a  score  or  more  of  these  factories 
making  everything  from  complete  telephone  plants 
down  to  the  smallest  appurtenances.  The  largest  inde- 


financial  backing.  Mr.  Joseph  Harris  was  the  first  to 
recognize  the  latent  commercial  and  financial  possibili- 
ties in  the  invention  and,  with  A.  E.  Keith  and  others, 
organized  the  Strowger  Automatic  Telephone  Exchange 
for  the  purpose  of  controlling  the  Strowger  patents  and 
developing  and  manufacturing  the  switch.  Offices  were 
opened  in  Chicago  and  an  experimental  station  was 
established  at  La  Porte,  Indiana,  in  1892,  and  used  for 
three  years.  Several  small  exchanges  were  built,  some 
of  which,  notably  those  at  Albuquerque,  New  Mexico, 
and  Manchester,  Iowa,  are  still  in  operation  and  giving 
satisfactory  service. 


THE   CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 


175 


Mr.  Harris  and  his  associates  allied  themselves  with 
the  independent  telephone  movement  at  its  commence- 
ment and  therefore  deserve  to  be  classed  among  the 
pioneers  in  it,  and  the  first  in  the  automatic  field. 
During  the  ten  years  in  which  the  Strowger  Automatic 
Telephone  Exchange  manufactured  the  switches  more 
effort  was  devoted  to  bringing  the  apparatus  up  to  a 
high  standard  of  mechanical  excellence  than  to-  dispos- 
ing of  the  product,  and  it  was  not  until  the  organization 
of  the  Automatic  Electric  Company,  in  1901,  that  any 
great  amount  of  progress  was  made  in  the  selling  of  the 
apparatus.  At  that  time,  by  additional  patents  and 
improvements,  the  system  had  advanced  so  far  in  its 
development  that  larger  things  could  be  and  were  under- 
taken. 

The  first  exchange  of  20,000  capacity  was  built  in 
Dayton,  Ohio.  It  has  an  installation  of  6,000  stations. 
This  exchange  was  put  in  operation  on  June  i,  1903. 
About  the  same  time  the  first  exchange  with  100,000 
capacity  was  installed  in  Chicago,  for  the  Illinois  Tunnel 
Company  with  nearly  10,000  stations  in  operation. 

The  largest  exchange  outside  of  Chicago  is  that  at 
Los  Angeles,  California,  which  was  completed  in 
August,  1905,  with  more  than  9,000  lines.  The  ulti- 
mate capacity  of  the  Los  Angeles  exchange  is  100,000 
lines,  the  same  as  that  of  the  Chicago  exchange.  Other 
cities  in  which  automatic  exchanges  have  been  installed 
and  are  in  operation  at  present,  are :  Grand  Rapids, 
Battle  Creek,  Pentwater  and  Traverse  City,  Michigan ; 
Columbus,  Dayton,  Van  Wert  and  St.  Mary's,  Ohio; 
Lincoln  and  Hastings,  Nebraska;  Portland,  Lewiston 
and  Auburn,  Maine;  San  Diego,  Riverside,  Ocean  Park 
and  Sawtelle,  California;  Wilmington,  Delaware;  Fall 
River  and  New  Bedford,  Massachusetts;  and  a  number 
of  smaller  places.  Other  cities  in  which  the  automatic 
telephone  exchange  has  been  adopted,  and  at  the 
present  writing  (August,  1905),  is  being  built  or 
installed,  are:  Sioux  City,  Iowa;  El  Paso,  Texas; 
Havana  and  Marianao,  Cuba ;  Portland,  Oregon ;  and 
several  smaller  places. 

The  officers  of  the  Automatic  Electric  Company  are : 
C.  D.  Simpson,  Scranton,  Pa.,  president;  Joseph  Harris, 
Chicago,  vice-president  and  general  manager;  C.  C. 
Wheeler,  Chicago,  secretary;  A.  G.  Wheeler,  Jr.,  New 
York,  treasurer;  and  the  following,  in  addition  to  the 
above-mentioned  gentlemen,  are  directors :  A.  G. 
Wheeler,  J.  B.  Russell  and  C.  B.  Eddy.  A.  E.  Keith  is 
general  superintendent  and  chief  engineer. 

The  general  offices  and  manufacturing  plant  of  the 
company  are  located  in  a  large  six-story,  brick  building 
on  the  southwest  corner  of  Van  Buren  and  Morgan 
streets,  Chicago.  The  factory  is  one  of  the  most  com- 
pletely equipped  in  the  country  for  its  work.  Nearly 
eight  hundred  hands  are  employed,  and  the  most  mod- 


ern machinery,  much  of  it  automatic,  is  in  use.  So 
complete  is  the  plant  and  the  system  of  manufacturing 
that  an  entire  automatic  exchange  of  five  hundred  lines 
can  be  built  in  one  day.  The  automatic  telephone  sys- 
tem manufactured  by  this  company  has  proven  itself 
a  mechanical,  commercial  and  financial  success.  It  is 
revolutionizing  the  telephone  business.  The  Automatic 
Electric  Company  is  still  allied  with  the  independent 
telephone  movement  and  sells  only  to  independent 
companies. 

E.  Schneider  &  Ca.,  one  of  the  largest  manufacturers 
in  the  world  of  candles,  oil  and  glycerine,  has  been 
located  in  Chicago  since  1865.  The  corporation  was 
founded  in  St.  Louis  in  1842,  and  has  had  a  continuous 
existence  under  the  same  name  for  sixty-three  years. 
The  firm  was  first  organized  for  the  manufacture  of 
soaps,  in  addition  to  the  lines  to  which  it  now  confines 
its  energies.  E.  Schneider  was  the  company's  first 
president  and  Anthony  Schmitt  entered  office  at  the 
same  time  as  secretary  and  treasurer. 

When  the  firm  moved  its  office  and  factory  to  Chi- 
cago, it  found  that  another  concern  was  located  here 
manufacturing  the  same  lines.  By  mutual  agreement 
E.  Schneider  &  Co.,  discontinued  the  manufacture  of 
soaps,  which  had  grown  to  a  large  proportion  of  its 
business,  and  in  return  the  rival  concern  abandoned  the 
field  as  far  as  the  manufacture  of  candles,  oil  and  glyc- 
erine were  concerned. 

The  "stearic  wax"  candles  of  E.  Schneider  &  Co. 
are  now  favorably  known  in  every  mining  district  of  the 
world.  The  concern  specializes  in  the  making  of  can- 
dles for  mining  and  such  purposes.  The  glycerine  it 
produces  is  in  the  crude  state  for  trade  purposes.  Ever 
since  the  concern  was  incorporated  in  1881,  it  has  been 
a  close  corporation.  After  the  death  of  Mr.  E.  Schnei- 
der, in  1889,  his  business  associate,  Anthony  Schmitt, 
succeeded  as  president  of  the  corporation.  Mr.  Schmitt 
has  continued  in  that  office  since  then.  The  other 
executive  officers  of  the  corporation  are :  A.  G. 
Schmitt,  vice-president  and  treasurer,  and  C.  P.  Wood- 
cock, secretary,  who  has  been  connected  with  the  con- 
cern for  many  years. 

The  main  offices  of  E.  Schneider  &  Co.,  are  in  the 
Fisher  building,  277  Dearborn  street.  Its  factory  occu- 
pies the  block  fronting  on  Wallace  street  and  bounded 
by  Twenty-fourth  and  Twenty-fifth  streets. 

The  Cable  Company,  in  the  course  of  twenty-five 
years,  has  developed  from  a  factory  of  insignificant 
size  to  the  greatest  institution  manufacturing  pianos  and 
organs  in  the  world.  This  phenomenal  growth  has  been 
due  largely  to  the  two  great  factors  which  enter  into 
the  conduct  of  almost  all  institutions  which  reach 
supremacy — the  production  of  articles  offered  at  prices 
which  give  the  buyer  the  full  measure  of  value  and  an 


17G 


THE  CITY  OF  CHICAGO. 


organization  by  which  manufacturing  and  selling  can 
be  carried  on  with  the  highest  efficiency. 

The  results  of  the  policy  which  has  directed  the 
interests  of  this  company  are  shown  in  two  immense  fac- 
tories, branch  houses  in  leading  cities,  agencies  in  all 
parts  of  the  United  States  and  Europe  and  a  business 
which  covers  both  hemispheres. 

The  productions  of  The  Cable  Company  comprise 
all  grades  of  pianos  and  organs  from  the  reliable,  moder- 
ate-priced instrument  to  the  masterpiece  of  design  and 
craftsmanship.  It  has  always  been  the  accomplished 


CABLE   BUILDING. 

purpose  of  this  institution  to  make  every  instrument, 
whatever  its  grade,  the  best  in  every  feature  that  could 
be  offered  at  a  given  price.  The  natural  consequence 
has  been  that  these  instruments  have  set  the  standard 
in  their  respective  classes  and  have  attained  an  unparal- 
leled popularity. 

In  the  entire  conduct  of  its  business  this  company 
has  followed  broad-gauge,  progressive  methods  which 
have  fully  kept  pace  with  the  advance  of  modern  com- 
mercial life.  To  visit  its  factories  and  offices  is  to  be 
impressed  at  once  with  the  splendid  organization  of 
even-  department,  the  remarkable  system  by  which 
even'  department  co-operates  with  all  the  others  and 


with  the  executive  ability  which  is  demonstrated  in  their 
operation. 

It  has  always  been  the  custom  of  the  Cable  Com- 
pany to  employ  supervising  talent  of  the  highest  order, 
to  select  its  workmen  with  regard  to  both  skill  and 
personal  character  and  to  train  each  one  in  some  spe- 
cial operation.  It  has  at  its  command,  therefore,  a  force 
of  specialists  who  naturally  are  much  more  accurate 
in  the  performance  of  their  work  than  any  general 
mechanic  can  be. 

A  department  is  maintained  where  special  machinery 
is  designed  and  built  exclusively  for  use  in  the  com- 
pany's factories,  and  by  this  means  it  has  introduced 
many  devices  which  have  increased  the  efficiency  of 
operations  to  a  remarkable  degree  and  made  it  possible 
to  reduce  the  cost  of  manufacturing  to  a  minimum, 
and  at  the  same  time  to  improve  the  quality  of  the 
productions. 

Back  of  all  this  splendid  manufacturing  organiza- 
tion and  office  system  is  a  policy,  unhampered  by  tra- 
ditions, which  does  not  hesitate  to  establish  precedents ; 
a  policy  that  points  the  way  toward  larger  growth  and 
greater  prosperity,  and  it  is  but  a  natural  result  that 
such  an  institution  should  have  attained  pre-eminence  in 
its  field. 

The  Stegcr  Piano  Company  owes  its  existence  and 
success  to  John  V.  Steger,  its  president  and  founder. 
In  the  year  1854,  in  the  little  city  of  Ulm,  Wurtemburg, 
South  Germany,  John  V.  Steger  was  born,  under  hum- 
ble and  unauspicious  circumstances.  At  the  age  of  four- 
teen he  was  apprenticed  to  a  woodworker  by  his  father, 
who  was  himself  a  cabinetmaker.  He  remained  in  his 
employ  for  three  years,  and  then  started  for  America. 

Having  no  knowledge  of  the  English  language,  with 
a  capital  of  but  twelve  cents,  alone  in  a  foreign  land  and 
among  utter  strangers,  it  was  this  sturdy  German  lad 
"started  out  to  make  his  fortune." 

The  first  thing  this  young  man  did  was  to  form  a 
resolution  which  was  never  afterward  broken.  It  was 
to  live  within  his  resources.  Having  as  a  capital  with 
which  to  start  in  life  but  twelve  cents,  he  made  an  expen- 
diture of  five  cents  for  a  piece  of  pie,  reserving  the  seven 
cents  as  a  capital  against  need  until  he  should  have 
earned  something.  Within  six  hours  John  V.  Steger  was 
employed.  He  was  engaged  at  rough  carpenter  work  in 
the  reconstruction  of  ice-houses  on  the  Hudson  river. 
It  was  not  a  desirable  position,  as  he  was  fitted  for 
something  better,  being  fully  competent  to  earn  more 
than  he  would  receive  for  this  work,  but  it  was  the  best 
available,  and  he  took  it.  Within  two  months  he 
returned  to  New  York  with  his  savings,  which  amounted 
to  more  than  one-half  of  his  wages.  This  sum  he 
divided  into  two  equal  portions,  one  that  was  not  to 
be  expended  under  any  circumstances,  the  other  to 


THE   CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 


177 


supply  his  wants  and  necessities  until  he  could  again 
get  work. 

Shortly  afterward  he  secured  a  position  at  the  bench 
as  a  cabinetmaker,  and  for  a  year  his  wages  averaged 
$10.50  per  week.  Of  this  amount  he  invariably  placed 
$5.50  into  his  reserve  fund;  always  this  much,  sometimes 
more.  He  then  resolved  to  seek  a  new  location  in  Chi- 
cago. He  was  also  intensely  desirous  of  acquiring  a 


all  this  period  the  indomitable  purpose  to  accumulate 
prevailed.  The  sum  of  $12  was  allowed  for  household 
expenses,  and  the  balance  of  his  earnings  was  placed  in 
a  bank.  The  sum  grew  until  it  reached  $3,900,  when  it 
was  withdrawn  from  the  bank  and  invested  in  the  piano 
business,  the  location  chosen  being  154  State  street. 

In  1 88 1  a  change  was  made  to  109  Wabash  avenue, 
the  same  having  become  necessary  by  reason  of  greatly 


.  -I_ll 


STEGER    PIANO    WORKS. 


better  knowledge  of  the  English  language,  and  it  is 
needless  to  say  that  whatever  John  V.  Steger  set  out  to 
do  he  accomplished. 

After  being  in  this  country  but  two  years,  and,  being 
a  young  man  of  rare  good  sense,  he  realized  that  he 
could  not  prosper  if  he  remained  single.  Accordingly 
he  sought  the  hand  in  marriage  and  was  wed  to  Miss 
Louise  R.  Jacobs,  a  daughter  of  one  of  Chicago's  first 
settlers. 

For  eight  years  he  worked  for  others,  but  during 

12 


increased  business,  which  was  annually  becoming  larger 
in  volume.  His  quarters  here  were  much  more  exten- 
sive than  his  former  location,  the  rental  being  twelve 
times  in  excess.  Within  three  years  another  change  was 
necessitated  by  the  demands  for  space,  and  the  location 
chosen  was  Adams  street  and  Wabash  avenue.  Here  he 
lost  everything  in  the  Langham  Hotel  fire,  and 
devoted  the  next  four  years  in  building  up  his  business 
at  State  and  Jackson  streets.  In  1891  he  made  his  final 
removal  to  his  present  location,  northeast  corner  of 


178 


THE   CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 


Jackson  boulevard  and  Wabash  avenue,  where  he  has 
established  a  trade  second  to  none  in  the  United  States. 

Mr.  Steger  has  surrounded  himself  with  a  corps  of 
able  and  efficient  assistants,  but  still  devotes  his  time 
to  the  active  management  of  the  immense  interests  con- 
nected with  the  business.  He  is  in  constant  touch  with 
his  men.  As  fully  and  thoroughly  acquainted  with  every 
detail  of  the  vast  works  as  is  the  most  efficient  of  his 
employees,  Mr.  Steger  evinces  an  interest  in  all  that  is 
going  on,  and  with  tireless  energy  superintends  the  oper- 
ations, and  from  early  morning  until  late  at  night  care- 
fully oversees  the  vast  establishment,  as  well  as  keeping 
in  touch  with  the  selling  branch  of  the  business.  This 
involves  tireless,  ceaseless  vigilance,  and  as  "eternal 
vigilance  is  the  price  of  liberty,"  so  John  V.  Steger 
believes  it  the  price  of  business  success. 

In  the  year  1891  there  was  purchased  in  the  suburb 
of  Chicago  twenty  acres  of  land,  and  a  single  building 
erected  as  a  piano  factory,  in  which  the  manufacturing 
of  the  Steger  pianos  was  begun.  To-day  living  in  Steger 
are  about  2,500  persons  mainly  composed  of  workmen 
in  the  extensive  Steger  piano  manufacturing  plant. 
Another  such  a  town  does  not  exist  on  the  face  of  the 


JOHN   V.    STEGER. 

earth,  and  in  no  other  collection  of  human  beings  of  a 
similar  extent  in  numbers  does  peace,  happiness,  plenty 
and  contentment  reign  as  here.  Wherefore,  John  V. 
Steger  may  be  rightly  accounted  as  one  who  loves  his 
fellowmen. 

The  United  States  Peat  Fuel  Company  is  indeed 
a  name  to  conjure  with,  for  its  business  bids  fair  to 
rival  some  of  the  great  industrial  organizations  of  this 


century.  Its  general  offices  in  the  Fort  Dearborn  build- 
ing are  among  the  most  complete  and  elegant  in  this 
city,  while  its  officers  and  directors  are  all  men  of  affairs 
and  prominence  in  commercial  circles. 

Henry  D.  Bushnell,  the  president  of  the  company, 
is  a  fitting  head  for  this  great  institution.     He  is  consicl- 


HENRY    D.    BUSHNELL. 

ered  an  authority  on  corporate  organization  and  devel- 
opment, and  is  backed  with  exceptional  executive 
knowledge  and  ability,  the  outgrowth  of  a  lifetime  of 
labor  in  the  vineyard  of  corporate  management.  Mr. 
Bushnell  is  also  the  executive  head  of  one  of  the  largest 
American  controlled  foreign  trading  and  transporta- 
tion companies  and  a  director  in  several  other  corpora- 
tions of  moment  in  the  business  realm.  His  services 
are  in  great  demand  and  his  advice  is  sought  almost 
daily  upon  troublesome  and  intricate  corporate  ques- 
tions by  prominent  business  men  throughout  the  United 
States.  Had  Mr.  Bushnell  turned  his  energies  to  law 
instead  of  to  commerce  there  is  no  question  but  what  he 
would  have  stood  head  and  shoulders  among  the  great 
corporation  lawyers  of  this  country.  This  fact,  coupled 
with  his  far-seeing  executive  ability,  eminently  qualifies 
him  to  direct  the  tremendous  possibilities  of  the  peat 
fuel  business. 

John  Addison,  first  vice-president,  was  for  over 
thirty  years  one  of  Chicago's  most  noted  architects,  a 
gentleman  of  wide  social  and  business  acquaintance  and 
recognized  integrity.  Many  of  this  city's  largest  busi- 
ness edifices  and  palatial  homes  stand  as  monuments 
to  his  artistic  talents  and  construction  management. 
The  other  officers  of  the  company  are:  Murry  A. 


THE   CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 


179 


Pierson,  treasurer;  Chas.  H.  Ade,  secretary;  J.  Campbell 
Morrison,  consulting  engineer ;  Dave  Williams,  mechan- 
ical engineer,  and  Daniel  F.  Flannery,  general-attorney. 
All  of  these  men  are  prominent  in  the  business,  profes- 
sional, social,  club  and  fraternity  life  of  Chicago,  but 
space  forbids  a  detailed  record  of  their  individual  accom- 
plishments and  successes. 

The  United  States  Peat  Fuel  Company  controls  a 
monopolistic  line  of  patents  on  the  manufacture  of  peat 
fuel  in  this  and  some  fifteen  foreign  countries.  It  is 
the  parent  organization  governing  the  industry  under 
its  patented  processes,  systems  and  machinery  in  every 
land.  A  large  number  of  subsidiary  corporations  have 
been  organized  in  the  United  States  and  throughout  the 
world.  The  list  is  growing  steadily,  and  there  seems  no 
reasonable  doubt  but  what  the  number  of  subsidiary 
plants  paying  tribute  to  the  parent  company  will  reach 
into  the  thousands. 

The  industry  is  fast  assuming  gigantic  proportions, 
and  by  some  well  informed  authorities  it  is  predicted 
that  the  business  controlled  by  this  corporation  will 
within  the  years  to  come  equal  in  magnitude  and  influ- 
ence that  of  coal  mining.  It  must  of  necessity  reach  out 
and  its  branches  will  be  permanent  industrial  factors 
in  every  civilized  country. 

The  company  is  now  manufacturing  its  fuel  in  com- 
mercial quantities,  and  has  contracted  for  the  installa- 


tion of  other  large  plants — one  of  which  is  to  be  located 
a  few  miles  from  the  business  center  of  Chicago.  This 
factory  will  be  the  mecca  for  engineers  and  fuel  experts 
from  every  corner  of  the  globe. 

The  fuel  has  been  demonstrated  to  be  fully  the  equal 
of  high-grade  anthracite  coal,  but  is  smokeless,  sulphur- 
less,  sootless  and  clinkerless.  The  cost  of  manufacture  is 
below  the  cost  of  mining  coal,  and  the  crude  material 
used  is  nothing  more  or  less  than  common  bog,  swamp 
or  marsh  land. 

But  little  stretch  of  imagination  is  necessary  to  fully 
realize  the  present  and  future  commanding  influence  of 
this  company,  for  by  its  efforts  and  under  its  process 
and  machinery  the  vast  bog  lands  of  the  earth  are  rap- 
idly being  converted  into  fuel  mines  of  stupendous 
output  and  value. 

The  Corn  Products  Company  was  organized  March 
i,  1902,  for  the  production  from  corn  of  glucose,  grape 
sugars,  corn  syrups,  various  grades  of  laundry  and 
edible  starches,  dextrines  of  all  grades  and  British  gums. 
It  is  an  amalgamation  of  a  number  of  subsidiary  organ- 
izations, each  manufacturing  one  or  more  of  the 
products  of  corn,  and  its  expansion  along  only  one  of 
many  lines  has  been  such  that  it  makes  practically  every 
brand  of  laundry  and  edible  starch  now  on  the  market. 
The  Corn  Products  Company  grinds  in  the  manufac- 
ture of  its  multitudinous  products,  thirty-five  million 


PLANT    OF    THE    CORN     PRODUCTS    COMPANY. 


180 


THE   CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 


bushels  of  corn  per  annum,  or  an  amount  equaling  over 
one-fourth  of  the  corn  exported  by  the  United  States. 
Its  works  and  factories,  giving  employment  to  six  thou- 
sand persons,  are  located  in  fifteen  different  cities  and 
towns  as  follows :  Chicago,  Illinois ;  Buffalo,  Oswego 
and  Glen  Cove,  New  York;  Lockland  and  St.  Bernard, 
Ohio ;  Indianapolis,  Indiana  ;  Nebraska  City,  Nebraska  ; 
Waukegan,  Rockford,  Peoria  and  Pekin,  Illinois ;  and 
Des  Moines,  Davenport  and  Marshalltown,  Iowa. 

Its  Chicago  factor}',  located  at  West  Taylor  street 
and  the  river,  covers  an  area  of  eight  acres  and  is 
probably  the  largest,  most  modern  and  best  equipped 
factory  in  the  world.  At  this  one  factory  of  the  com- 
pany the  amount  of  corn  ground  daily  is  thirty  thou- 
sand bushels. 

Corn  syrup  (glucose)  and  allied  products  have  been 
produced  for  some  years  past,  but  the  development  of 
their  manufacture  and  their  popularization  among  con- 
sumers with  the  consequent  increase  of  the  demand  to 
an  enormous  extent,  both  domestic  and  foreign,  has 
been  a  matter  of  the  last  few  years.  The  results  have 
been  most  profitable  to  the  American  farmer  since  it 
has  developed  uses  for  corn  formerly  unpracticed,  and 


thus  supplies  a  daily  cash  buyer  for  the  large  surplus  of 
this  commodity.  In  affording  employment  in  a  new 
field,  and  in  the  consumption  of  coal,  tin  and  other 
products  necessary  to  its  manufacture,  also,  the  com- 
pany occupies  a  distinct  and  important  place  in  the 
nation's  economy. 

Among  the  well-known  starches  which  it  produces 
are  Kingsford's  Silver  Gloss,  a  laundry  starch,  and 
Kingsford's  Corn  Starch,  both  of  which  brands  have 
long  been  household  necessities,  and  the  high  quality 
of  which  the  Corn  Products  Company  has  maintained. 

Of  corn  syrups,  its  best  known  product  is  "Karo" 
Corn  Syrup,  compounded  of  85  per  cent  of  corn  syrup 
and  15  per  cent  of  cane  syrup.  It  is  a  predigested 
article  of  food  of  exceptional  purity,  manufactured  from 
starch  contained  in  corn  and  its  use  is  general,  the  low 
price  at  which  it  can  be  bought,  added  to  its  flavor  and 
\vholesomeness,  popularizing  it  throughout  the  world. 

The  officers  of  the  Corn  Products  Company  are : 
C.  H.  Matthiessen,  President :  C.  L.  Glass,  Vice-Presi- 
dent and  Secretary;  Benjamin  Graham,  Treasurer. 
Executive  Committee:  C.  H.  Matthiessen,  W.  J.  Cal- 
houn,  Charles  E.  Glass. 


GARFIELD  PARK. 


CHAPTER   XXIII. 


CHICAGO'S    BUSINESS    INTERESTS. 


ARSHALL  FIELD  &  COM- 
PANY. The  name  of  Marshall 
Field  and  business  integrity  have 
become  synonymous  in  Chicago 
and  the  West.  In  the  jobbing 
trade  and  the  retail  business  of 
the  great  firm  of  Marshall 
Field  &  Company,  this  repu- 
tation for  square  dealing  is 
the  foundation  stone  of  its  suc- 
cess. Of  the  millions  controlled 
by  it  this  good  name  is  its  chief  asset. 
This  application  of  the  princi- 
ple of  "a  square  deal"  has  resulted  in  mak- 
ing this  company  the  largest  mercantile  institution 
in  the  world.  Of  the  great  throngs  of  buyers  who 
enter  Marshall  Field  &  Company's  establishments 
every  day,  there  is  not  one  of  them  but  feels  that 
every  penny  spent  there  will  purchase  its  full  value 
of  the  best  goods  of  the  kind  the  market  affords.  The 
neatly  wrapped  bundles  bearing  the  name  of  "Marshall 
Field  &  Company"  have  upon  them  the  stamp  and  guar- 
antee of  integrity  and  quality. 

The  very  atmosphere  of  the  establishment  is  refresh- 
ing. The  uniform  courtesy  of  every  employee,  the  con- 
sideration they  show  to  one  another,  the  absolute 
frankness  with  which  even  the  smallest  transaction  is 
carried  on,  the  lack  of  all  quibbling — all  make  for  one 
end — the  complete  satisfaction  of  the  purchasing  public. 
It  is  the  working  out  of  the  basic  principle  of  the  con- 
cern. "A  satisfied  customer  first,  a  profit  second,''  is 
the  fundamental  rule  every  employee  of  the  store  must 
follow.  This  has  bred  a  confidence  that  makes  every 
man,  woman  or  child  who  enters  the  great  house  of 
Marshall  Field  &  Company  feel  confident  of  fair  and 
courteous  treatment.  And  this  confidence  is  indeed  the 


greatest  of  all  Marshall  Field's  millions  of  fairly  won 
fortunes. 

The  establishments  of  Marshall  Field  &  Company 
present  an  array  of  merchandise  as  complete  as  human 
ingenuity,  energy  and  wealth  can  secure.  Its  buying 
organization  is  the  largest  single  factor  in  the  world's 
markets.  Every  country  or  province  produces  some- 
thing in  art,  material  or  manufactures  that  goes  to  make 
up  the  stock.  Permanent  buying  offices  are  maintained 
at  New  York,  Paris,  Manchester,  Nottingham,  Brad- 
ford, Chemnitz,  Calais,  St.  Gall,  Lyons,  Plaueu,  Anna- 
berg  and  Yokohama.  In  Kashmir,  India,  there  is  a 
large  rug  factory,  operating  178  looms,  controlled  by 
Marshall  Field  &  Company.  The  outputs  of  numerous 
other  factories  in  almost  every  country  are  controlled 
by  this  house. 

The  great  retail  store  occupies  practically  the  entire 
block  bounded  by  State,  Randolph  and  Washington 
streets  and  Wabash  avenue.  The  lloor  area  is  now 
about  one  million  square  feet,  equivalent  to  twenty- 
three  acres  or  eleven  city  blocks  of  ordinary  size.  The 
frontage  on  State  street  is  385  feet ;  on  Washington,  341 
feet;  on  Randolph,  190  feet;  and  on  Wabash  avenue, 
266  feet.  A  new  1 2-story  building,  now  in  process  of 
erection,  on  Wabash  avenue,  will  add  about  30  per  cent 
to  the  present  area  of  the  retail  premises,  making  a  total 
area  of  1,300,000  square  feet,  or  about  30  acres.  The 
ultimate  plan  is  to  make  the  State  street  frontage  of  a 
uniform  height  of  twelve  stories  of  solid  granite  with 
an  imposing  central  entrance.  Over  half  of  this  front- 
age is  now  occupied  by  such  a  building.  The  main 
entrance  on  State  street  is  marked  by  four  large  granite 
monolith  columns  and  when  the  building  to  the  south, 
extending  to  Washington  street,  is  completed,  will  form, 
as  it  now  does,  the  central  feature  of  the  State  street 
front.  The  principal  building  is  o{  steel  construction, 


181 


182 


THE   CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 


faced  with  gray  granite — a  simple  and  massive  style  of 
architecture.  The  foundation  for  this  structure  con- 
sists of  84  concrete  caissons  sunk  down  100  feet  to 
"hard-pan." 

Two  immense  light  shafts  extend  from  the  first  floor 
to  the  skylights,  the  extreme  height  being  234  feet.  An 
ornamental  iron  and  mahogany  railing  encloses  the 
court  on  each  floor.  The  view  from  the  top  story  down 
is  a  grand  panorama  of  a  portion  of  the  interior.  The 
large  white  columns  extending  the  length  of  the 


tending  one  entire  block  from  Washington  street  to 
Randolph  street,  a  distance  of  385  feet.  The  showcases 
on  either  side  are  of  solid  mahogany  and  plate  glass,  the 
framework  being  of  the  lightest  possible  construction, 
which  gives  the  effect  of  the  cases  being  practically  of 
solid  glass.  They  are  brilliantly  lighted  by  invisible 
incandescents  and,  filled  as  they  are  with  the  most 
beautiful  merchandise  which  the  store  affords,  form  a 
magnificent  sight.  This  main  aisle  may  be  said  to  be 
one  of  the  show  places  of  Chicago,  great  throngs  of 


MARSHALL  FIELD  &  COMPANY'S  WHOLESALE  HOUSE. 


store  form  some  of  the  most  imposing  colonnades  in 
existence. 

On  the  first  floor  the  aisles  and  showcases  are 
arranged  on  a  most  generous  scale  for  the  comfort  of  the 
large  crowds  of  shoppers  that  continually  stream 
through  the  store.  The  usual  crowding  and  discomfort 
of  a  large  establishment  is  in  this  way  entirely  avoided. 
The  same  generous  treatment  of  space  for  aisles,  show- 
cases, counters  and  fixtures  pertains  throughout  the 
entire  establishment.  In  no  city  in  the  world  can  be 
found  such  a  magnificent  arrangement.  The  "main 
aisle"  is  a  most  remarkable  interior  thoroughfare,  ex- 


people  visiting  it  for  the  many  beautiful  displays  which 
it  affords. 

The  first  floor  of  the  main  building  is  devoted  to 
dress  accessories,  laces,  ribbons,  gloves,  hosiery,  notions, 
shoes,  men's  furnishings,  etc.,  all  of  which  lend  them- 
selves to  a  most  artistic  arrangement.  On  the  second 
floor  are  the  dress  goods,  silks,  linens,  prints  and  white 
goods,  such  as  are  sold  by  the  yard.  The  third  floor 
is  devoted  to  muslin  underwear,  corsets,  aprons,  infants' 
wear  and  boys'  clothing.  The  fourth  floor  is  one  of  the 
attractive  spots  of  the  great  establishment.  Here  are  to 
be  seen  extensive  displays  of  women's  hats  and  millin- 


THE   CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 


183 


ery  material,  gowns  and  outer  apparel  and  furs.  On 
the  fifth  floor  are  found  rugs  and  carpets  of  every  for- 
eign, oriental  and  domestic  weave ;  trunks,  toys,  baby 
carriages,  baskets,  athletic  goods,  etc.  The  sixth  floor 
is  devoted,  for  the  most  part,  to  high  class  house  fur- 
nishings, such  as  lace  curtains,  upholstery  goods,  fine 
furniture,  pictures,  metal  beds  and  high-class  wall  paper. 
The  tea  and  grill  rooms  occupy  the  entire  seventh  floor, 
there  being  accommodations  for  seating  2,000  persons. 
The  upper  floors  are  devoted  to  the  shipping  rooms 
and  various  manufacturing  branches  carried  on  in  con- 
nection with  the  retail  store.  On  the  twelfth  floor  is  a 
cold  storage  vault  where  during  the  summer  furs  belong- 
ing to  customers,  aggregating  $3,000,000  in  value,  are 
kept  at  a  temperature  of  12  degrees  below  freezing. 

The  Marshall  Field  &  Company  Annex  is  another 
modern  fireproof  structure,  ten  stories  high,  on  the  cor- 
ner of  Washington  street  and  Wabash  avenue.  The 
first  floor  of  the  annex  is  devoted  to  stationery,  silver- 
ware, leather  goods  and  toilet  accessories.  On  the 
second  floor  are  hall  clocks,  optical  goods,  photographic 
supplies,  fancy  needlework  and  American  Indian  wares. 
The  next  two  floors,  third  and  fourth,  are  devoted  to 
pottery,  bric-a-brac,  cut  glass  and  china.  They  present 
a  most  beautiful  display  of  art  objects.  The  third  floor 
in  particular,  which  is  known  as  the  "pottery  floor," 
contains  a  most  extensive  collection  of  American  and 
foreign  art  potteries,  metals,  Japanese  wares,  Tiffany 
favrile  glass  and  lamps,  candelabra,  jardinieres  and 
other  art  wares.  The  fourth  floor  is  filled  with  a  mag- 
nificent display  of  cut  and  Bohemian  glass  and  fine 
china. 

Few  expositions  have  ever  exceeded  in  quality  and 
the  completeness  of  the  display  the  wares  shown  along 
the  magnificent  aisles  of  this  great  retail  store.  Every 
convenience  is  afforded  to  the  public.  There  are  read- 
ing, writing  and  rest  rooms  for  the  patrons  and  visitors. 
An  information  bureau  is  maintained  where  general 
directions  as  to  railroads,  street  cars,  ocean  steamships, 
hotels,  theaters  and  other  information  are  given  out. 
There  is  a  branch  postofnce  where  stamps,  money 
orders,  registered  letters  and  other  postofnce  business 
is  transacted.  Near  this  is  a  telegraph  and  cable  office. 
There  is  a  clock  which  shows  the  comparative  time  of 
all  the  great  cities  of  the  world,  A  carefully  selected 
library  containing  well  selected  books,  the  leading  maga- 
zines and  representative  newspapers,  directories  of  the 
principal  cities,  and  other  reference  books,  is  another 
attractive  feature.  An  emergency  hospital  fitted  with 
complete  surgical  outfits  is  maintained.  Telephone 
booths  are  found  in  all  parts  of  the  store  for  local  and 
long-distance  connection.  A  staff  of  guides  speaking 
various  languages  is  kept  in  connection  with  the 
information  bureau  to  conduct  visitors  through  the 


store,  showing  to  them  the  many  interesting  features 
which  otherwise  might  be  overlooked. 

The  electrical  plant  supplies  30,000  incandescent, 
200  arc  lights  and  50  electric  elevators.  All  showcases 
are  illuminated  by  concealed  bulbs.  The  store  has  a 
pneumatic  tube  cash  system,  an  automatic  fire  sprinkler 
system,  a  refrigerating  plant  for  storage  and  water  cool- 
ing purposes,  a  water  filtering  plant,  a  telephone 
exchange  of  250  lines  and  a  delivery  system  of  100 
wagons  and  automobiles. 

The  retail  store  opens  at  8  a.  m.  and  closes  at  5  130 
p.  m.  Women  employees  report  30  minutes  later  in 
the  morning  and  leave  10  minutes  before  closing  time. 
An  annual  vacation  of  two  weeks  is  allowed  every 
employee  who  has  been  in  the  service  more  than  a  year 
and  one  week  after  six  months.  Lunch  rooms,  music 
rooms,  gymnasiums,  baths  and  such  conveniences  are 
provided  for  employees. 

In  the  retail  establishment  are  between  6,000  and 
8,000  employees  and  in  the  wholesale  are  3,000  more. 
These  figures  do  not  include  the  hundreds  of  persons 
scattered  through  all  parts  of  the  world  in  the  service 
of  the  firm. 

The  number  of  customers  who  enter  the  store  varies 
from  day  to  day  from  80,000  to  125,000.  During  the 
holidays  it  reaches  200,000.  The  week  of  the  opening 
of  the  new  building  on  State  street,  in  September,  1902, 
it  averaged  350,000  per  day,  reaching  450,000  on  one 
of  the  days  of  that  week. 

Marshall  Field,  the  head  of  the  great  mercantile 
house  that  bears  his  name,  has  been  a  prominent  figure 
in  the  business  interests  of  Chicago  since  he  was  a  young 
man  of  twenty-one  years.  The  business  principles  on 
which  he  started  out  in  the  Chicago  field  of  commerce 
have  been  steadfastly  adhered  to  and  have  characterized 
Mr.  Field's  leadership  in  the  enterprise  of  which  he  is 
the  head  and  which  is  now  the  greatest  of  its  kind  in 
the  world. 

Mr.  Field  was  born  in  Conway,  Massachusetts, 
August  18,  1835.  His  father  was  a  well-to-do  farmer 
and  gave  his  son  the  advantages  of  an  education  in  the 
grammar  schools  and  later  at  Conway  Academy.  But 
at  an  early  age  Mr.  Field's  bent  was  toward  business, 
neither  the  life  of  a  farmer  nor  the  glamour  of  a  college 
education  appealing  very  strongly  to  him. 

When  seventeen  years  old  he  started  to  work  in  a 
country  store  at  Pittsfield,  Massachusetts,  remaining 
there  until  he  came  to  Chicago  in  1856.  His  first 
employment  was  as  a  salesman  with  Cooley,  \Vadsworth 
&  Company.  One  year  later  this  firm  was  reorganized 
as  Cooley,  Farwell  &  Company,  and  in  1860,  when  Mr. 
Field  was  but  twenty-five  years  old,  he  became  a  junior 
partner  in  the  concern.  He  soon  took  the  lead  in 
molding  the  policy  of  this  house  and  in  the  reorganiza- 


184 


THE  CITY  OF  CHICAGO. 


tion  which  took  place  in  1865  he  became  the  senior 
member  of  a  new  firm  known  as  Field,  Palmer  &  Leiter. 
Two  years  later  Mr.  Potter  Palmer  retired  to  devote  his 
time  and  attention  to  his  great  real  estate  interests  and 
the  name  of  the  firm  was  changed  to  Field,  Leiter  & 
Company.  Mr.  Field's  masterful  grasp  of  business  sys- 
tems and  detail  was  never  more  manifest  than  during 
the  trying  times  following  the  Civil  war.  During  the 
financial  storms  which  swept  the  country,  when  many 
erstwhile  substantial  business  houses  were  going  down, 


and  thus  the  example  of  Field,  Leiter  &  Company 
became  the  turning  point  in  what  was  perhaps  one  of 
the  greatest  revolutions  in  business  methods  of  the  last 
century.  This  system  has  now  reached  such  a  perfec- 
tion that  the  percentage  of  losses  through  poor  credits 
to  Marshall  Field  &  Company  is  only  a  very  small 
fraction  of  i  per  cent. 

The  fire  of  1871  wiped  out  both  the  retail  and  whole- 
sale establishments  of  the  firm.  Coining  as  it  did  in 
the  fall  of  the  year  when  the  heaviest  stock  is  carried, 


IBSa 


SSSS 


P^  ;ir^^m  -  >»  •> , , , vifr1^1  ^ 

^p^mwnHU*Vsu*j  i  r^n^gi  ^ 

^^y|^i,l Jjjj»f_          _"i:i;i-  ill' 3  SiJ;  jjj  ;.;    TTT 

"'ff     '?•?*•  f- '   _'  ' '.--.-^i: . rjW  :,    -          i-f    LLli 


'"   "  t  rtf  ff  f  r "t»'f  f  f''*V  rfl  r 
''     "I  I'-'Il    «,M.l.Vi   I    III  •'•' 


MARSHALL    FIELD    &    COMPANY'S    RETAIL    PREMISES. 

Viewed  from  the  corner  of  Washington  street  and  Wabash  avenue,  showing  new  building  on  the  right. 


Field,  Leiter  &  Company  survived.  For  some  time  Mr. 
Field  had  been  observing  the  evils  of  the  credit  system 
as  it  then  existed  in  the  business  world  generally,  with 
its  long  datings  and  promissory  notes,  and  deferred  pay- 
ments, and  to  him  must  be  given  credit  for  turning  back 
this  tendency  to  the  more  sound  methods  which  prevail 
to-day.  At  that  time  he  established  his  wholesale  busi- 
ness practically  on  a  cash  basis,  giving  discount  for 
prompt  payment,  and  paid  cash  on  the  same  basis  for 
all  his  purchases.  The  indisputable  advantages  of  this 
system  became  more  and  more  apparent  to  other  houses, 


the  loss  aggregated  $3,500,000.  On  this  was  carried  an 
insurance  of  two  and  one-half  million  dollars,  but  little 
of  this  could  be  realized  immediately  and  much  of  it  was 
lost  in  the  insurance  failures  that  quickly  followed  the 
fire.  In  this  crisis  the  cash  system  established  by  Mr. 
Field  and  which  had  placed  the  house  on  a  sound 
financial  basis,  saved  it  from  being  involved  in  the 
general  ruin. 

Work  on  starting  in  business  again  was  begun  the 
day  after  the  fire.  The  old  car  barns  at  State  and 
Twentieth  streets  were  rented  by  the  firm  and  their 


THE   CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 


185 


doors  thrown  open  with  but  a  slight  interruption  of  busi- 
ness. Construction  on  the  new  building  was  got  under 
way  immediately  and  was  completed  the  next  year, 
the  wholesale  and  the  retail  houses  being  located  in  dif- 
ferent parts  of  the  city.  The  first  wholesale  building 
still  stands  at  Madison  and  Market  streets,  and  is  used 
as  a  warehouse  and  for  factory  purposes. 

A  new  retail  building  was  erected  on  the  corner  of 
State  and  Washington  streets,  and  was  occupied  until 
1877,  when  it  was  burned.  Business  was  temporarily 
resumed  at  the  old  Exposition  building,  on  the  site  of 
the  present  Art  Institute.  The  following  spring  the 
store  was  moved  to  Wabash  avenue,  where  it  occupied 
part  of  the  block  between  Madison  and  Monroe  streets. 
In  1879  the  business  was  moved  into  a  new  building  at 
the  old  site,  State  and  Washington  streets.  In  1888  the 
two  five-story  buildings  on  State  street,  just  north  of  the 
original  building,  were  acquired.  In  1892-1893  the 
establishment  was  enlarged  by  the  erection  of  the 
"Annex"  building  on  the  corner  of  Washington  street 
and  Wabash  avenue,  and  within  a  comparatively  short 
time  the  three  buildings  on  Wabash  avenue,  just  north 
of  the  annex,  were  included.  In  1901  the  two  north 
buildings  on  State  street,  together  with  the  old  Central 
Music  Hall,  were  torn  down,  and  in  their  places  there 
was  erected  a  twelve-story  building  of  steel  and  granite. 
This  gave  the  retail  business  possession  of  about  seven- 
eighths  of  the  block  bounded  by  State,  Washington  and 
Randolph  streets  and  Wabash  avenue.  In  1905  the 
three  old  buildings  on  Wabash  avenue,  north  of  the 
Annex,  were  torn  down  to  make  room  for  the  erection 
of  a  new  twelve-story  building,  similar  to  the  new  por- 
tion of  the  State  street  building. 

The  great  wholesale  department  of  Marshall  Field 
&  Company  occupies  the  block  bounded  by  Adams, 
Quincy,  Franklin  and  Fifth  avenue,  and  bears  the  dis- 
tinction of  being  the  "largest  wholesale  dry  goods  store 
in  the  world."  In  addition  to  this  there  are  seven  ware- 
houses, the  floor  space  of  which  is  nearly  equivalent  to 
the  area  of  the  retail  premises.  The  wholesale  house 
is  of  massive  granite  construction  and  though  it  follows 
none  of  the  popular  models  for  mercantile  structures,  it 
is  considered  one  of  the  best  specimens  of  commercial 
architecture  in  the  country. 

In  1881  Mr.  Levi  Z.  Leiter  retired  from  the  firm  and 
the  house  became  known  as  Marshall  Field  &  Company, 
which  name  has  been  unchanged  for  a  quarter  of  a 
century. 

Marshall  Field  has  given  unostentatiously  to  many 
public  institutions  in  Chicago.  The  most  notable  of  his 
benefactions  is  his  endowment  of  one  million  dollars  to 
the  Field  Columbian  Museum.  In  1893,  toward  the 
close  of  the  Columbian  Exposition,  the  movement  was 
started  to  preserve  the  many  priceless  exhibits  of  scien- 


tific, historical  and  artistic  curios  which  were  being 
donated  to  the  city  by  the  exhibitors  at  the  Fair,  as  a 
nucleus  for  a  public  museum.  The  enterprise  was  still 
in  a  formative  state  when  Mr.  Field  came  forward  with 
his  princely  donation  as  an  endowment.  In  recognition 
of  this  act  the  new  institution  was  named  the  Field 
Columbian  Museum  and  it  has  been  rapidly  taking  a 
high  rank  among  similar  institutions  of  the  world.  The 
Fine  Arts  building  of  the  World's  Fair  was  left  in 
Jackson  Park  as  a  temporary  home  for  the  museum  and 
the  enterprise  organized.  Since  then  Mr.  Field  has 
announced  that  he  was  ready  to  furnish  the  necessary 
funds  for  the  erection  of  a  permanent  museum  building 
as  soon  as  the  site  could  be  provided  for  it  in  the  exten- 
sion of  Grant  Park  on  the  Lake  Front.  This  extension 
to  the  park  is  being  rapidly  filled  in  and  the  erection  of 
a  magnificent  museum  is  now  the  question  of  only  a 
few  years.  Mr.  Field  has  also  given  liberally  to  the 
University  of  Chicago. 

That  Mr.  Field  still  cherishes  his  New  England  asso- 
ciations is  manifest  in  the  Memorial  library  which  he 
has  erected  in  the  village  of  Conway,  Massachusetts, 
where  he  was  born,  in  honor  of  his  parents,  John  and 
Fidelia  (Nash)  Field.  Mr.  Field  was  married  to  Miss 
Nannie  Douglass  Scott  of  Ironton,  Ohio,  January  3, 
1863.  He  has  had  two  children,  a  son,  Marshall  Field, 
Jr.,  recently  deceased,  and  a  daughter,  Mrs.  David 
Beatty,  who  makes  her  home  in  England.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

Morris  Selz,  head  of  the  great  shoe  manufacturing 
firm  of  Selz,  Schwab  &  Co.,  was  born  in  Germany  in 
1826.  He  came  to  the  United  States  at  the  age  of  sev- 
enteen, with  a  total  capital  of  $15,  and  his  first  business 
undertaking  was  as  a  traveling  retail  merchant,  carry- 
ing his  stock  with  him. 

A  little  later  he  was  employed  as  a  salesman  by  a 
house  in  Hartford,  Connecticut.  From  there  Mr.  Selz 
went  South,  to  work  in  a  general  store  in  Georgia ;  and 
after  a  little  time  there  he  started  for  the  gold  fields  of 
California,  by  way  of  Panama. 

After  several  years  on  the  Pacific  Coast,  Mr.  Selz 
came  to  Chicago  in  1854,  and  engaged  in  various  small 
undertakings  until  1871,  when  he  invested  all  his  capital 
and  savings  in  the  boot  and  shoe  business.  The  estab- 
lishment was  a  small  one,  occupying  about  half  of  what 
is  now  one  of  the  firm's  lesser  factories.  It  had  a  daily 
capacity  of  about  three  hundred  pairs.  The  business 
was  chiefly  the  making  of  boots,  and  the  boots  were  so 
good  that  they  soon  gained  a  great  reputation  all 
through  the  West ;  a  reputation  which  still  continues. 
In  many  localities  "Selz  boots"  are  still  considered  the 
standard  of  good  quality,  although  the  making  of  boots 
has  become  a  minor  feature  of  the  business. 

In  1878  the  firm  became  Selz,  Schwab  &  Co.,  and  it 


186 


THE  CITY  OF  CHICAGO. 


was  incorporated  in  1890.  The  rirm  now  operates  seven 
large  factories,  with  a  daily  capacity  of  20,000  pairs; 
employs  100  traveling  salesmen,  160  office  and  house 
employees,  and  more  than  2,000  operatives.  These 
factories  produce  all  kinds  of  footwear,  from  the  finest 
dress  shoe  for  men  and  women  to  the  heaviest  mining 
or  work  shoe.  The  firm  has  also  a  rubber  mill,  making 
rubber  footwear  of  all  kinds. 

The  prominent  characteristic  of  Mr.  Selz  as  a  busi- 
ness man  has  shown  all  through  his  business  life,  and 
is  the  main  idea  in  his  business  to-day.  "Make  nothing 
but  good  goods.  Make  the  name  Selz  on  a  shoe  the 
sign  and  mark  of  good  quality;  whenever  anyone  puts 


MORRIS   SELZ. 

his  confidence  and  his  money  in  goods  bearing  that 
name  let  him  be  sure  of  getting  his  full  money's  worth ; 
and  a  little  more  if  possible." 

Upon  these  principles  his  business  has  become  the 
largest  producer  of  good  shoes  in  the  world. 

Gage  Brothers  &  Company,  Chicago's  largest  and 
foremost  wholesale  millinery  establishment,  occupies  the 
magnificent  twelve-story  building  at  129-131  Michigan 
avenue,  where  it  has  been  located  since  1899.  The 
business  is  an  old  one,  having  been  founded  in  1856  by 
Seth  Gage  and  John  N.  Gage.  The  concern  has  since, 
however,  passed  into  the  hands  of  a  stock  company,  of 
which  Frederick  Bode  is  the  president,  George  Ebeling, 
the  vice-president,  and  Geo.  H.  Hovey,  the  secretary 
and  treasurer. 

A  visit  to  the  establishment  as  it  is  to-day  reveals 
the  magnitude  and  class  of  the  business.  The  Gage 


building  is  a  handsome  structure  of  stone  and  brick, 
facing  towards  the  Lake  Front.  The  building  was  origi- 
nally eight  stories,  but  it  was  found  necessary  to  add 
four  more  floors  in  1902,  since  which  the  house  has 
achieved  the  reputation  of  being  the  largest  importers 
in  America,  and  having  the  most  complete  stock  of  mil- 
linery merchandise  ever  displayed  under  one  roof.  The 


GAGE    BROTHERS    &    COMPANY'S    BUILDING. 

first  floor  of  the  establishment  is  devoted  to  the  recep- 
tion room,  general  offices  and  the  ribbon  and  yard 
goods  departments.  On  the  second  floor  are  the  street 
and  outing  hats,  with  special  display  rooms.  The  third 
floor  is  given  over  to  untrimmed  hats.  This  floor  is 
particularly  interesting,  showing  as  it  does  the  founda- 
tions which  later  become  elaborate  creations.  On  the 


THE  CITY  OF  CHICAGO. 


187 


fourth  floor  are  exhibited  the  flowers  and  feathers.  This 
floor  is  a  panorama  of  color.  The  fifth  floor  is  occupied 
by  the  lace,  ornament,  millinery,  notion  and  novelty 
departments.  The  pattern  hat  department,  with  special 
display  rooms,  is  on  the  sixth  floor.  On  the  seventh 
floor  is  the  tailored  hat  department  with  display  rooms, 
with  its  large  varied  assortment.  The  factory  itself, 
the  most  interesting  part  of  the  establishment,  covers 
the  eighth  floor.  The  ninth  and  tenth  are  used  for 
packing,  shipping,  casing  and  basketing,  the  eleventh 
is  devoted  to  the  reserve  stock,  while  the  top  floor  is 
used  for  miscellaneous  purposes.  The  advertising 
department,  naturally  an  important  feature  of  the  busi- 
ness, and  the  editorial  rooms  of  The  Gage,  a  quarterly 
publication  issued  by  the  firm,  are  on  this  floor. 

A  fair  notion  of  the  methods  and  policy  which  have 
brought  the  house  to  its  present  prominent  position  can 
be  derived  from  the  pages  of  The  Gage.  It  is  well 
edited  and  finely  illustrated,  and  its  make-up,  in  gen- 
eral attractiveness,  is  superior  to  that  of  a 
majority  of  the  magazines  of  the  day.  It 
editorially  lays  stress  upon  the  fact  that  Gage 
Brothers  &  Company  are  the  largest  import- 
ers in  the  country  and  as  a  result  offer  decided 
advantages  to  the  trade.  In  point  of  fact 
the  house  sets  fashions  rather  than  follows 
them.  Every  day  hundreds  of  new  styles  and 
creations  are  produced  in  the  Gage  factory. 
The  house  employs  the  best  talent  in  the  way 
of  designers  and  makers  that  money  can  pro- 
cure. The  two  elements  to  be  observed  in 
millinery  manufacture  are  material  and  work- 
manship; both  these  phases  are  developed  to 
the  highest  degree  of  perfection  in  the  Gage 
establishment.  They  give  the  "Gage  hat"  a 
certain  prestige  or  class  that  is  denied  the 
inferior  article.  One  word  expresses  the 
Gage  business  slogan — "quality." 

Spaulding  &  Co.  The  house  of  Spauld- 
ing  &  Co.,  jewelers,  was  established  and 
incorporated  in  1888.  Mr.  Henry  A.  Spauld- 
ing, one  of  the  founders,  and  the  first  presi- 
dent of  the  company,  had  for  years  been 
prominently  identified  with  the  jewelry  house 
of  Tiffany  &  Co.  in  Paris.  lie,  together 
with  a  party  of  gentlemen,  including  Levi  Z. 
Leiter  and  Edward  Forman,  of  Chicago; 
Edward  Holbrookof  New  York;  E.  J.  Smith, 
then  of  Detroit,  and  George  St.  Amant  of 
Paris,  organized  and  established  the  present 
well-known  house.  The  business  was  incor- 
porated with  a  paid-in  capital  of  $500,000, 
and  the  following  officers  chosen :  Henry  A. 
Spaulding,  president ;  Edward  Forman,  secre- 


tary, and  Edward  Holbrook,  treasurer.  These  were  all 
men  of  business  experience  and  ability,  and  all  thor- 
oughly informed  in  the  special  departments  to  which 
they  gave  their  attention.  Mr.  Lloyd  Milnor  of  New 
York  became  treasurer  in  1890  and  president  in  1896, 
succeeding  Mr.  Holbrook,  who  had  been  chosen  to  that 
office  in  1894.  Edward  Forman  died  April  14,  1898, 
and  Mr.  E.  J.  Smith  was  made  secretary. 

Within  a  short  time  it  was  demonstrated  that  Chi- 
cago could  support  such  an  establishment  as  it  was 
the  intention  of  the  promoters  to  make  it,  and  soon 
Spaulding  &  Co.  became  recognized  as  the  leading 
jewelry  house  of  the  West.  Located  on  the  southeast 
corner  of  State  street  and  Jackson  boulevard,  the  com- 
pany occupies  a  six-story-and-basement  building,  two 
floors  of  which,  each  with  a  space  of  147x40  feet,  are 
utilized  as  salesrooms.  On  the  upper  floors  are  the 
manufacturing  departments,  and  here  all  of  the  diamond 
mountings  are  made,  and  the  special  designs  in  gold  and 


SPAULDING  &  CO.'S   BUILDING. 


188 


THE  CITY   OF  CHICAGO. 


silverware,  for  which  the  house  has  established  such  a 
wide  reputation.  There  is  also  a  very  complete  sta- 
tionery department,  and  everything  connected  there- 
with, including  embossing,  is  done  in  the  building.  The 
main  floor  is  devoted  to  the  sale  of  jewelry,  diamonds, 
silvenvare,  gold  and  silver  mounted  leather  goods,  sta- 
tionery and  a  full  line  of  English  hall  and  mantel  clocks. 
On.  the  second  floor  is  to  be  found  the  art  department, 
where  everything  in  the  way  of  statuary,  bronzes,  rich 
cut-glass  and  costly  bric-a-brac  are  gathered  in  pic- 
turesque display.  Throughout  the  entire  building  one 
is  impressed  with  the  taste  shown  in  the  furnishings,  as 
well  as  the  artistic  arrangements,  making  it  one  of  the 
best-appointed  shops  of  its  kind  in  the  world. 

Spaulding  &  Co.  also  maintain  a  branch  establish- 
ment in  Paris  at  36  Avenue  de  1'Opera,  said  to  be  the 
most  conspicuous  American  addition  to  that  city  in  the 
way  of  adornment  and  trade.  The  showrooms  are 
handsomely  decorated  in  white  and  gold,  and  the  "even- 
ing room,"  draped  in  black  velvet,  like  the 
"gem  boudoir"  of  the  Chcago  house,  is  of 
special  interest  to  the  large  number  of 
visitors  who  throng  the  place.  The  Paris 
house  is  of  special  value  in  connection  with 
the  American  house,  as  it  enables  them  to 
secure  all  the  newest  Parisian  novelties  as 
they  make  their  appearance.  And  in  this 
regard  it  may  be  said  that  Chicago,  with 
its  close  proximity  to  the  mineral  wealth  of 
the  great  Northwest,  is  rapidly  becoming 
the  center  of  the  jewelry  trade  of  the 
country. 

The  E.  L.  Mansure  Company,  the  lead- 
ing upholstery  and  drapery  concern  in 
Chicago,  was  established  in  1890,  with 
small  quarters  at  45  Randolph  street.  The 
advancement  in  the  business  was  rapid 
from  the  outset;  in  1900  they  removed  to 
their  present  quarters  at  74-76-78  Michi- 
gan avenue.  The  company  occupies  the 
entire  seven  floors  and  basement,  the 
largest  establishment  devoted  exclusively 
to  their  line  of  business  in  the  West.  The 
building  houses  the  offices,  salesrooms, 
stockrooms  and  manufactories  of  the  com- 
pany. On  the  first  floor  are  the  offices, 
shipping  rooms,  show  and  receiving  rooms, 
etc.  The  second  floor  is  devoted  to  the 
finishing  department,  where  150  girls  are 
employed.  Here  is  done  the  measuring 
and  inspecting  and  various  details  are 
smoothed  over  and  the  goods  are  made 
ready  for  shipping.  The  matching  and 


stock  departments  are  on  the  third  floor.  Here  the 
colors  are  matched  and  goods  selected.  The  fourth  and 
fifth  floors  are  devoted  to  the  manufacture  of  cord,  cot- 
ton and  silk,  respectively,  requiring  dozens  of  spinning 
machines  of  the  latest  models.  The  hand  looms  are  on 
the  sixth  floor;  here  are  employed  scores  of  workmen 
skilled  in  their  craft.  They  do  the  difficult  work,  such 
as  the  manufacture  of  special  pieces  of  draperies,  fringe, 
etc.  The  large  po\ver  looms  are  on  the  seventh  floor; 
these  machines  turn  out  the  larger  pieces  of  thirty-six 
and  seventy-two  yards.  The  basement  of  the  building 
shelters  all  the  raw  materials  employed  in  the  manufac- 
ture of  the  firm's  finished  products.  Here  are  stored 
bales  on  bales  of  cotton  and  bags  of  worsted.  On  every 
floor  is  a  fireproof  vault  in  which  is  stored  the  silk,  which 
comes  in  large  skeins.  These  are  extremely  valuable 
and  extra  precautions  are  taken  to  guard  them  against 
being  spoiled  or  destroyed.  Altogether  over  500  peo- 
ple are  employed  in  the  establishment.  The  firm's 


THE  E.  L.  MANSURE  COMPANY'S    BUILDING. 


THE   CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 


189 


machinery  and  equipment  are  of  the  most  improved 
models.  The  company  has  a  branch  factory  in  Phila- 
delphia, smaller  than  the  local  plant,  to  accommodate 
the  eastern  trade  and  help  out  the  local  people  in  rush 
orders,  and  turn  out  special  work.  They  also  have  a 
New  York  sales  office  in  the  Hartford  building'. 

The  company's  trade  extends  over  the  United 
States  and  Canada.  They  both  make  draperies,  uphol- 
stery, fringes,  portieres  and  similar  household  equip- 
ment of  their  own  designs,  and  according  to  special 
orders.  Carl  Weilert,  designer  of  their  embroideries,  is 
the  cleverest  man  in  his  line  in  the  country.  Mansure's 
work  has  always  been  artistic,  though  utility  has  not 
been  overlooked. 

Mr.  E.  L.  Mansure.  founder  of  the  business,  has 
been  its  president  since  its  establishment.  He  was  asso- 
ciated with  the  drapery  business  many  years  previous. 
H.  F.  Walliser  is  vice-president,  P.  R.  Rudhart  is  secre- 
tary, and  John  H.  Van  Arsdale,  treasurer. 

George  M.  Clark  &  Company  has  been  a  leading 
name  in  the  stove  manufacturing  business  for  the  past 
twenty-four  years.  The  firm  was  founded  by  George  M. 
Clark  in  1881,  and  since  then  has  made  rapid  progress. 
The  home  offices  are  at  72  Lake  street.  The  firm  has 
made  a  specialty  of  the  manufacture  of  gasoline  and  gas 
stove  ranges  and  appliances,  known  as  the  "Jewel." 
The  growth  of  the  business  necessitated  the  removal  of 
the  factory  in  1897  to  Harvey,  Illinois,  where  four  hun- 
dred hands  are  employed.  In  1902  the  business  was 
merged,  with  other  companies,  in  the  American  Stove 


GEORGE  M.  CLARK  &  COMPANY'S  PLANT. 

Company,  of  which  Mr.  Clark  became  first  vice-presi- 
dent and  general  manager  of  the  George  M.  Clark  Com- 
pany division. 

George  Mark  Clark  was  born  at  Westminster,  Ver- 
mont, June  10,  1841,  the  son  of  Mark  and  Sarah  (Hall) 
Clark.  Mr.  Clark  received  his  education  in  the  public 
school  at  \Vestminster.  He  began  his  business  life  in  a 


general  merchandise  store  in  Brattleboro,  Vermont, 
where  he  lived  from  1858  to  1864.  The  opportunities 
of  the  West  tempted  him  to  come  to  Chicago  in  1864. 
He  accepted  a  position  with  Jessup,  Kennedy  &  Com- 
pany, which  firm  afterward  became  Crerar,  Adams  & 
Company,  manufacturers  of  railway  supplies.  Mr.  Clark 


GEORGE   M.    CLARK. 

soon  became  superintendent  of  the  works.  In  1874  the 
Adams-Westlake  Manufacturing  Company  was  incor- 
porated, taking  over  the  manufacturing  interest  of  Cre- 
rar, Adams  &  Company.  Mr.  Clark  was  made  superin- 
tendent of  the  new  corporation,  which  position  he  held 
until  1885.  In  1881  Mr.  Clark,  with  Mr.  Adams,  started 
a  new  company  for  manufacturing  gasoline  and  vapor 
stoves,  incorporating  same  under  the  name  of  Myers 
Manufacturing  Company.  In  1886  the  name  was 
changed  to  George  M.  Clark  &  Company. 

Mr.  Clark  was  married  to  Miss  Elizabeth  M.  Keep 
at  Oberlin,  Ohio,  June  18,  1872.  They  have  two  chil- 
dren, Alice  Keep  and  Robert  Keep.  Mr.  Clark  is  a 
Republican  in  politics  and  is  a  member  of  the  Union 
League  Club.  The  family  residence  is  at  460  Dearborn 
avenue. 

Moses  Bensinger,  the  late  president  of  the  Bruns- 
wick-Balke-Collender  Company,  Chicago,  New  York 
and  Cincinnati,  with  branch  houses  in  all  the  principal 
cities  of  the  United  States,  France,  Germany,  Canada 
and  Mexico,  was  born  in  Louisville,  Kentucky,  August 
17,  1839,  and  died  October  14,  1904,  in  his  sixty-sixth 
year. 

Mr.  Bensinger  commenced  his  business  career  as  a 
jeweler's  apprentice  and  watchmaker,  continuing  in  that 


190 


THE  CITY   OF  CHICAGO. 


line  until  1869,  when  he  became  identified  with  J.  M. 
Brunswick,  the  pioneer  manufacturer  of  billiard  tables, 
with  factories  in  Cincinnati  and  Chicago.  By  persistent 
effort  and  energetic  push,  he  soon  mastered  the  details 


MOSES    BENSINGER. 

of  the  business  and  became  the  practical  head  of  the 
business.  Owing  in  a  large  measure  to  his  foresight  and 
capability  as  an  organizer,  the  rival  house  of  Julius 
Balke  of  Cincinnati  and  St.  Louis  was  induced  to  join 
forces  with  the  J.  M.  Brunswick  Company,  under  the 
corporate  name  of  the  J.  M.  Brunswick  & 
Balke  Company.  Mr.  Bensinger,  one  of 
the  partners  in  the  new  firm,  assumed  the 
management  of  the  principal  establish- 
ment in  Chicago.  Subsequently  through 
Air.  Bensinger's  efforts,  the  H.  W.  Col- 
lender  Company  of  New  York,  which  was 
at  that  time  a  formidable  competitor,  was 
absorbed,  and  the  corporate  name  of  the 
company  changed  in  1884  to  its  pres- 
ent title,  The  Brunswick-Balke-Collender 
Company. 

The  office  of  the  president  of  the  com- 
pany  was   held   in    succession   by   J.    M. 
Brunswick,  Julius  Balke  and  H.  W.  Col- 
lender.     Upon  the  death  of  the  latter  in 
1890,    Mr.    Bensinger    was    unanimously 
chosen  for  the  important  position,  which 
he  held  until  his  death.     The  company  has  for  many 
years  been  known  as  the  oldest  and  largest  manufac- 
turers of  billiard  and  pool  tables  in  the  world,  but  under 
Mr.   Bensinger's  able  management  the  output  of  the 


concern  has  been  increased  to  something  more  than 
four  times  that  of  1890,  when  he  took  direct  charge  of 
the  great  establishment.  He  was  too  enterprising  and 
energetic  to  rest  content  with  a  business  which  he  con- 
sidered susceptible  of  enlargement  and  improvement. 
He  told  several  of  the  stockholders  who  were  opposed 
to  development  that  new  methods,  new  life  and  vigor 
were  essential  to  continued  prosperity,  and  that  without 
them  the  great  business  that  he  and  the  two  or  three 
other  living  founders  of  the  company  had  built  up  would 
die  out  of  dry  rot,  and  disintegrate  of  itself. 

He  did  not  by  any  means  have  clear  sailing,  so  to 
speak.  There  were  numerous  rocks  and  shoals,  which 
might  have  brought  a  less  skillful  or  less  determined 
mariner  to  disaster. 

Mr.  Bensinger  was  a  member  of  the  Chicago  Ath- 
letic and  Standard  Clubs,  and  was  of  a  jovial,  good- 
natured  disposition,  to  which,  in  a  measure,  can  prob- 
ably be  attributed  his  populartiy.  He  was  never  so 
happy  as  when  relating  anecdotes  of  the  good  old  days 
when  he  was  roughing  it  as  traveling  salesman  and  gen- 
eral utility  man  for  the  company  of  which  he  was  the 
head  for  a  number  of  years. 

Mr.  Bensinger  was  married  to  Eleanora,  one  of  the 
daughters  of  J.  M.  Brunswick,  in  1865.  Of  his  three 
children,  B.  E.  Bensinger,  his  only  son,  has  succeeded 
his  father  as  president  of  the  company.  * 

Monarch  Book  Company.  The  civilized  world 
agrees  with  the  philosopher  who  suggested  that  we 
bless  the  man  who  invented  books.'  It  must  be  con- 
ceded, however,  that  he  who  publishes  and  sells  books 


BRUNSWICK-BALKE-COLLENDER    COMPANY'S    PLANT 

merits  equal,  if  not  more,  consideration  from  those  who 
may  be  disposed  to  bestow  benedictions  on  the  members 
of  the  book  craft. 

The  business  of  publishing  and  selling  books  has 


THE   CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 


191 


made  great  strides  during  the  past  twenty-five  years, 
and  the  Monarch  Book  Company  has  been  a  leader  in 
the  advance  movement  at  all  times.  This  concern  was 
founded  in  1882,  by  two  college  students  at  Beloit,  Wis- 


LINCOLN    W.    WALTER. 

•- 

consin,  who  shortly  thereafter  finished  college  and 
moved  the  business  to  Chicago,  where,  under  able  and 
farsighted  management,  it  has  been  developed  from  the 
small  beginning  to  the  present  large  business  institu- 
tion. 

Originally  this  company  sold  only  such  books  as  it 
could  buy  from  other  publishers,  but  its  business  grew 
so  rapidly  that  it  shortly  engaged  in  publishing  its  own 
books,  and  has  been  for  a  number  of  years  regarded  as 
one  of  the  leading  publishing  houses  of  the  world.  It 
was  a  pioneer  in  publishing  juvenile  literature  and  sell- 
ing these  books  through  agents  during  the  holiday  sea- 
son. It  is  safe  to  say  that  millions  of  its  children's  books 
have  been  purchased  for  Christmas  presents,  which 
have  been  a  never-ending  source  of  amusement  and 
instruction  to  the  little  ones.  This  house  has  always 
been  ahead  of  its  competitors  in  introducing  new  fea- 
tures, with  the  result  that  its  books  have  been  made 
more  attractive  from  year  to  year.  Besides  children's 
books,  its  list  of  publications  includes  historical,  bio- 
graphical, religious,  educational  and  works  of  reference. 
The  Monarch  Book  Company  has  from  the  beginning 
employed  the  best  authors  obtainable,  and  its  list  of 
writers  contains  the  names  of  the  most  famous  men  and 
women  in  literature  of  the  last  quarter  of  a  century. 
Among  these  are  the  Rev.  Frank  W.  Gunsaulus,  presi- 


dent of  Armour  Institute  of  Technology,  the  Rev.  Sam- 
uel Fallows,  the  Rev.  J.  J.  McGovern,  Theodore  Roose- 
velt, William  McKinley,  Grover  Cleveland,  Henry 
Cabot  Lodge,  George  William  Curtis,  George  F.  Hoar, 
James  Bryce,  James  Cardinal  Gibbons,  Seymour  Eaton, 
Dr.  Henry  Hopkins,  president  of  Williams  College; 
David  Starr  Jordan,  president  of  Leland  Stanford  Uni- 
versity; Hon.  Murat  Halstead,  Edward  S.  Ellis,  Dr. 
John  Lord,  Evelyn  H.  Walker,  Anna  A.  Gordon,  Opie 
Read,  Press  Woodruff,  Samuel  L.  Clemens,  the  Rev.  J. 
S.  Kirtley  and  niany  other  eminent  scholars  and  writers 
equally  well  known. 

The  Monarch  Book  Company  has  always  enjoyed 
the  esteem  of  the  public  because  of  its  sterling  honesty 
and  fair  dealing,  and  its  strong  financial  condition  is 
due  to  the  fact  that  its  publications  have  invariably  been 
successful,  many  of  them  reaching  enormous  sales  in  a 
short  space  of  time.  Of  the  Life  of  McKinley  over  750,- 
ooo  copies  were  sold  in  less  than  four  months  after  his 
death.  Several  hundred  thousand  Bibles,  both  family 
and  teacher's  editions,  have  been  sold.  Enormous  sums 
in  royalties  have  been  paid  to  the  authors.  The  W.  C. 
T.  U.,  through  Anna  A.  Gordon,  received  over  $24,000 
royalty  from  the  sale  of  the  Life  of  Frances  E.  Willard. 
The  Monarch  Standard  Atlas  and  Illustrated  World  is 
a  monumental  work  and  its  sale  has  reached  over  300,- 
ooo  copies.  Barnes'  Bible  Encyclopedia  in  three  vol- 


GORDON    G.    SAPP. 

times  and  the  History  and  Government  of  the  United 
States  in  six  volumes  have  been  but  recently  issued  and 
are  already  in  great  demand. 

To  properly  market  its  great  output,  this  company 
employs  hundreds  of  travelers,  who  visit  every  section 


1012 


THE  CITY   OF  CHICAGO. 


of  the  country  several  times  each  year,  and  thousands  of 
local  agents.  The  management  early  adopted  the  policy 
of  rewarding  faithful  work  by  advancement,  and  the 
result  is  that  to-day  every  department  is  in  charge  of 


WILLIAM    H.   RIDER. 

thoroughly  experienced  and  competent  managers,  and 
the  grand  success  of  the  house  is  due,  in  no  small  degree, 
to  the  hearty  and  efficient  co-operation  of  its  army  of 
workers. 

The  main  office  in  Cliicago  and  the  branch  office  in 
Philadelphia  are  veritable  hives  of  industry.  The  officers 
of  the  Monarch  Book  Company  are :  Lincoln  W.  Wal- 
ter, president  and  treasurer;  Gordon  G.  Sapp.  vice-presi- 
dent, and  William  H.  Rider,  secretary  and  general  man- 
ager. These  gentlemen  also  constitute  the  board  of 
directors. 

The  Blakcly  Printing  Company.  In  1898,  when 
the  Stercotypers'  union  marched  out  in  a  body  and 
the  Chicago  newspapers  were  compelled  to  suspend 
publication,  at  a  time  when  the  public  thirsted  for  news 
of  the  Spanish-American  War,  it  remained  for  an  enter- 
prising printing  firm,  The  Blakely  Printing  Company, 
to  fill  in  the  gap  and  supply  the  public  with  a  news- 
paper that  contained  complete  and  authentic  intelli- 
gence. It  will  be  remembered  that  the  Chicago  papers 
did  not  appear  on  July  2,  at  the  time  when  Shatter 
was  knocking  at  Santiago's  gates  and  an  encounter 
between  Schley's  and  Cervera's  naval  forces  was  hourly 
expected.  C.  F.  Blakely,  vice-president  of  The  Blakely 
Printing  Company,  126-132  Market  street, -and  W.  M. 
Knox,  president  of  the  Press  Club,  heard  of  the 


walk-out,  and  decided  to  supply  the  deficiency.  The 
Blakely  Company  had  all  the  necessary  facilities, 
presses,  etc.  Knox  organized  his  "staff"  at  three  in 
the  morning,  and  offices  were  established  at  Blakely's. 
Telegraphic  service  was  secured ;  at  eight  in  the  morn- 
ing the  presses  started,  and  in  five  minutes  the  sheet 
was  on  the  street.  It  was  a  four-page  affair,  as  large  as 
the  Inter-Ocean.  It  contained  not  merely  the  latest 
war  news,  with  full  details  of  the  American  victories  in 
Cuba,  but  all  the  current  news,  even  including  the  base- 
ball scores.  The  paper's  circulation  the  first  day 
reached  40,000;  on  the  fourth  it  sold  1,000,000  copies. 
The  publication  was  suspended  as  soon  as  the  dailies 
resumed  issue.  The  projectors  pocketed  a  handsome 
profit  and  a  handsomer  reputation  for  enterprise  and 
push. 

The  Blakely  Printing  Company,  among  the  oldest 
concerns  of  its  kind  in  Chicago,  was  established  in  1871 
on  Green  street,  near  Randolph  street,  on  the  West 
Side,  since  which  time  they  have  grown  to  be  one  of 
the  largest  and  most  modern  equipped  printing  houses 
in  the  West.  They  are  now  located  at  126-132  Market 
street,  occupying  a  large  portion  of  the  front  and  rear 
buildings. 

Their  plant  is  in  operation  both  day  and  night, 
employing  a  large  force  of  the  most  skilled  and  intelli- 
gent workmen. 

The  company  has  a  reputation  for  turning  out  high- 
class  work.  This  volume  is  a  product  of  their  press- 


C.    F.    BLAKELY. 

rooms.  Their  most  worthy  pieces  of  work  were  the 
two  volumes  "The  Book  of  The  Fair"  and  "The  Book 
of  Wealth."  The  latter  was  the  most  expensive  modern 
book  ever  published.  The  edition  de  luxe  was  limited : 
each  volume  sold  for  $2.500.  W '.  K.  Vanderbilt,  J.  Pier- 


THE  CITY  OF  CHICAGO. 


193 


pont  Morgan,  Alva  E.  Belmont,  Caroline  Astor,  J.  J. 
Astor  and  Helen  Gould  were  among  the  subscribers. 

Mrs.  David  Blakely  is  president  of  the  company; 
C.  F.  Blakely,  vice-president  and  founder,  is  its  active 
head.  J.  I.  Oswald,  secretary  and  manager,  has  been 
associated  with  the  concern  for  twenty-five  years ;  Haw- 
ley  Olmstead,  the  treasurer,  has  been  with  them  for 
the  last  fifteen  years. 

Peter  Reinberg,  alderman  of  the  Twenty-sixth 
ward,  whose  florist  establishment  is  the  largest  in  the 
world,  was  born  on  a  farm  at  Rosehill  in  1858.  His 
father  had  settled  on  a  thirty-two-acre  tract  there  ten 
years  previous,  when  only  Indian  roads  stretched 
through  the  forests  in  the  direction  of  Chicago. 

While  a  boy,  Alderman  Reinberg  attended  the  rural 
schools  about  his  home  and  herded  cattle  in  the  district 
now  known  as  Ravenswood.  As  Chicago  grew  vege- 
table raising  became  profitable  and  he  was  engaged 
in  this  pursuit  on  his  father's  farm  until  1887,  when 
he  laid  the  foundation  of  his  great  flower  industry  by 
building  his  first  greenhouses.  These  were  very  small 
affairs  in  comparison  with  the  ones  which  he  now 
puts  up  a  block  at  a  time. 

For  the  first  two  years,  Mr.  Reinberg  grew  lettuce 
and  cucumbers  in  his  greenhouses.  With  an  addition 
of  four  more  greenhouses  he  then  turned  his  attention 
from  truck  gardening  to  growing  roses  and  carnations. 
He  has  kept  adding  to  these  greenhouses  until  the 
present  time  when  his  greenhouse  property  aggregates 
1,200,000  square  feet  of  glass,  the  largest  in  the  world. 

Alderman  Reinberg  regards  the  flower  habit  as  con- 
tagious and  his  endeavor  has  been  constantly  to  edu- 
cate the  public  to  an  appreciation  of  his  products. 
There  are  times  in  the  vear  when  the  flower  market  is 


dull  and  when  prices  are  extremely  low.  Most  florists 
are  then  disposed  to.  gather  their  blooms  and  dump 
them  as  waste  fertilizing  material.  This  is  not  so  with 
Mr.  Reinberg,  however.  His  philosophy  has  been  to 


PETER    REINBERG. 

market  the  flowers  regardless  of  the  prices  they  bring. 
The  working  of  this  theory  is  seen  in  the  rapidly  increas- 
ing use  of  flowers  in  Chicago. 

"Where  flowers  are  brought  into  a  house  because 
they  are  cheap  at  some  particular  season,"  he  says, 
"these  same  flowers  are  likely  to  find  their  way  into 


- 


-        _   ; 
. —  i    —  \_       • —         i 


SECTIONAL  VIEW  OF  PETER  REINBERG'S  PLANT. 


194 


THE  CITY   OF  CHICAGO. 


the  home  when  they  cost  a  great  deal  more.  There  is 
no  doubt  that  the  per  capita  consumption  of  flowers 
has  increased  greatly  and  that  it  is  still  growing." 

Ordinarily  when  a  visitor  sees  the  twenty-six  acres 
of  Mr.  Reinberg's  plant  under  glass,  he  wonders  about 
the  cost  of  the  glass.  As  a  matter  of  fact  the  glass 
represents  only  about  one-seventh  of  the  cost  of  a 
greenhouse  establishment.  The  framework  for  the 
glass,  the  benches  for  the  plants,  the  steam  piping  for 
heating  and  even  the  ventilating  apparatus  by  which 
all  of  the  windows  may  be  opened  simultaneously  by  the 
turning  of  a  ratchet  wheel,  are  all  expensive  items.  Mr. 
Reinberg's  establishment  represents  an  investment  of 
nearly  one  million  dollars.  In  the  last  year  the  steam 
plants  at  his  greenhouses  have  consumed  more  than 
12,000  tons  of  coal.  The  main  offices  of  his  green- 
houses are  at  3468  Robey  street. 

Until  the  spring  of  1904  Mr.  Reinberg  was  inter- 
ested in  politics  only  as  a  looker-on.  He  had  persist- 
ently refused  to  run  for  office.  The  mayor  and  sheriff 
then  persuaded  him  to  run  for  alderman.  Although 
his  ward  is  normally  republican  by  1,500,  he  swept  the 
ward  on  the  democratic  ticket  with  a  plurality  of  2,293. 

Brock  &  Rankin.  The  edition  book  business  of 
Brock  &  Rankin  was  established  in  1892,  the  firm  occu- 


A.   J.   BROCK. 

pying  quarters  at  327  Dearborn  street.  From  its  incep- 
tion the  growth  of  the  business  was  rapid  and  a  year 
later  they  moved  into  larger  quarters  at  87  Plymouth 
place.  In  1897  they  removed  to  155  Plymouth  place, 
the  increase  in  business  again  necessitating  a  change. 


Finally,  in  1902,  they  erected  their  present  establishment 
at  383  La  Salle  street  to  accommodate  the  needs  of  the 
concern.  It  is  a  modern  fireproof  seven-story  structure, 
of  which  four  floors  are  devoted  exclusively  to  their 
printing  and  binding  business.  They  have  70,000  square 


CHARLES   W.   RANKIN. 

feet  of  floor  space,  and  their  equipment  represents  the 
very  latest  developments  in  composition,  printing 
and  binding  machinery.  They  employ  250  people  in 
their  plant. 

Their  business  embraces  the  composition,  printing 
and  binding  of  books,  catalogues,  encyclopedias,  his- 
tories, fiction,  et  al.  They  do  a  very  large  amount  of 
school  book  work,  supplying  as  they  do  school  books 
in  over  half  the  states  in  the  Union.  Their  work  is  of 
the  highest  quality;  this  volume  is  a  product  of  their 
binding  department. 

The  two  members  of  the  firm  are  A.  J.  Brock  and 
Charles  W.  Rankin,  both  of  whom  are  men  who  have 
been  identified  with  Chicago's  business  growth  for 
thirty  years,  during  which  time  they  have  both  been 
connected  with  the  printing  and  book  business.  They 
have  contributed  their  share  towards  developing  the 
printing  and  binding  industry  in  Chicago.  Some  idea 
of  its  expansion  can  be  gained  from  the  fact  that  Brock 
&  Rankin's  present  plant  has  a  capacity  twice  that  of 
all  the  Chicago  plants  of  thirty  years  ago  combined. 

Chicago  Edison  Company.  Climatic  and  commer- 
cial conditions  peculiarly  favorable  to  the  manifold 
applications  of  electric  current  for  power  and  lighting 
purposes,  together  with  the  remarkable  growth  of  the 
city  within  the  last  decade,  have  made  Chicago  one 


THE  CITY  OF  CHICAGO. 


195 


of  the  foremost  electrical  centers  of  the  country.  The 
prevailing  fogs  of  the  winter  season,  aggravated  by  the 
"smoke  nuisance"  and  intensified  by  the  lofty  office 
buildings  and  narrow  streets  of  the  down-town  district, 
necessitate  the  use  of  a  tremendous  amount  of  artificial 
illumination,  and  this  demand  has  been  greatly  aug- 
mented during  recent  years  by  the  almost  universal 
acceptance  of  electricity  as  the  most  efficient  and  desir- 
able medium  for  residential,  store  and  sign  lighting  and 
as  the  most  flexible  and  economical  form  of  applied 
power. 


that  ample  provision  had  been  made  for  future  expan- 
sion, became  heavily  overloaded,  thus  necessitating  the 
erection  of  a  larger  plant.  This  need  was  increased  by 
consolidation  with  several  other  companies,  the  largest 
of  which  was  the  Chicago  Arc  Light  and  Power  Com- 
pany, operating  a  high-tension  arc  lighting  plant  at 
Washington  street  and  the  river.  Land  was  accordingly 
purchased  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Chicago  river  at 
Harrison  street,  and  plans  were  prepared  for  what  then 
seemed  an  immense  plant,  equipped  with  the  most 
modern  apparatus,  laid  out  in  accordance  with  the 


SECTIONAL    VIEW    OF    THE    CHICAGO    EDISON    COMPANY'S    WORKS. 


The  development  of  this  important  industry  in  Chi- 
cago is  largely  due  to  the  Chicago  Edison  Company. 
Incorporated  in  April,  1887,  as  an  outgrowth  of  the 
old  Western  Edison  Electric  Light  Company,  its  first 
central  station,  located  at  139  Adams  street,  was  placed 
in  commission  in  August,  1888,  with  a  total  capacity 
of  about  50,000  lights  and  a  connected  business  of 
16,800  sixteen  candlepower  equivalent,  contracts  for 
which  had  been  secured  during  the  erection  of  the 
plant. 

The  growth  of  business  was  rapid,  and  within  three 
years  the  Adams  Street  station,  in  which  it  was  thought 


latest  ideas  in  central  station  construction  and  designed 
to  take  care  of  the  anticipated  increase  in  business  for 
the  next  decade.  The  Harrison  Street  station  was  com- 
pleted in  August,  1894,  when  the  entire  load  of  the 
Adams  Street  station  was  transferred  to  the  new  plant, 
the  station  at  139  Adams  street  being  permanently 
shut  down. 

It  did  not  seem  practicable  to  raise  all  the  feeders 
which  had  formerly  centered  at  the  Adams  Street 
plant,  and  it  was  therefore  decided  to  connect  the 
Harrison  Street  station  to  139  Adams  street  by  an 
immense  trunk  line  capable  of  carrying  several 


196 


THE  CITY  OF  CHICAGO. 


times  the  amount  of  current  turned  out  by  the 
old  station,  which  thereby  became  the  ''center  of  dis- 
tribution." As  soon  as  the  trunk  line  was  completed 
the  building  at  139  Adams  street  was  reconstructed 
to  accommodate  the  company's  general  offices  and 
some  of  its  operating  departments. 

In  the  meantime  a  demand  had  sprung  up  in  the 
southern  residence  section  of  the  city  and  to  meet  this 
a  station  was  built  on  Wabash  avenue  just  south  of 
Twenty-sixth  street  and  a  new  system  of  conductors 
reaching  nearly  to  that  of  the  down-town  system,  was 
laid  in  the  streets.  In  1894  a  corresponding  station 
was  erected  for  the  northern  residence  district,  located 
at  Clark  and  Ohio  streets,  for  the  purpose  of  supplying 
the  territory  bounded  by  the  river,  North  avenue  and 
the  lake. 

The  original  installation  at  Harrison  street  was 
kept  in  service  from  1894  to  1897,  after  which,  during 
another  period  of  rapid  expansion  from  1897  to  1902 
this  plant  was  also  developed  to  the  full  extent  per- 
mitted by  the  property,  while  the  Washington  Street 
station  (acquired  from  the  Chicago  Arc  Light  & 
Power  Company)  was  likewise  developed  to  the  limit  of 
its  capacity. 

In  1897  the  advance  of  the  science  made  it  commer- 
cially possible  to  transmit  high  potential  current  and 
to  convert  the  same  current  to  lower  voltages  for  dis- 
tribution over  existing  low-tension  lines,  whereupon 
the  first  three-phase  transmission  line  at  2,300  volts 
(which  one  year  later  was  raised  to  4.500  volts)  was 
installed  to  supply  alternating  current  to  rotary  con- 
verters located  in  the  Twenty-seventh  Street  station. 
These  machines  and  the  auxiliary  step-down  trans- 
former received  high  potential  alternating  current  and 
delivered  direct  current  to  the  low-tension  distributing 
system. 

The  larger  area  which  could  now  be  economically 
supplied  from  a  single  large  station  gave  a  great 
impetus  to  sub-station  development,  and  the  transmis- 
sion voltage  was  raised  to  9,000  volts.  The  smaller 
generating  plants  were  gradually  converted  into  rotary 
sub-stations  with  auxiliary  steam  reserve,  while  Harri- 
son Street  station  was  equipped  with  larger  units  rang- 
ing up  to  3,500  kilowatts,  to  take  care  of  the  con- 
stantly growing  demand. 

In  order  to  supplement  its  central  station  capacity 
during  the  period  of  maximum  load,  and  as  an  addi- 
tional safeguard  against  possible  interruption  of  service 
the  company  decided  to  install  a  huge  storage  battery 
in  the  basement  of  139  Adams  street,  the  installation 
of  which  was  completed  in  May,  1898.  In  October, 
1899,  a  second  battery  was  placed  in  the  same  building 
and  two  years  later  a  third  was  installed,  thus  insur- 
ing the  utmost  possible  protection  to  the  company's 


customers  in  the  event  of  trouble  at  the  generating 
stations. 

The  changes  occasioned  by  gradual  betterment  of 
the  service  have  involved  amongst  other  improvements 
the  substitution  of  direct  current  constant  potential  arc 
lighting  for  the  old  series  arc  system  and  the  abolition 
of  500  volt  power,  this  having  been  superseded  by  220- 
volt  service. 

At  the  present  time  the  Chicago  Edison  Company 
operates  one  large  generating  station,  three  subsidiary 
steam  plants  which  are  operated  the  greater  part  of 
the  year  as  sub-stations,  and  eighteen  other  sub-sta- 
tions for  direct  current  distribution  to  the  company's 
customers,  a  number  of  these  sub-stations  being 
equipped  with  storage  batteries  in  addition  to  the  con- 
verting apparatus,  while  four  of  them  are  storage  bat- 
tery sub-stations  pure  and  simple,  their  sole  function 
being  the  accumulation  of  a  reserve  supply  of  energy  to 
supplement  the  direct  supply  to  the  distribution  system 
during  the  period  of  heavy  load. 

The  company  has  been  remarkably  successful  in 
displacing  isolated  plants  with  its  central  station  service, 
and  practically  all  of  the  larger  stores,  clubs,  office 
buildings  and  hotels  are  now  supplied  with  light  and 
power  by  the  Edison  company.  The  development  of 
its  power  business  has  also  increased  very  rapidly  dur- 
ing the  last  few  years  as  the  economical  possibilities 
of  small  direct-connected  motor  installations  are  becom- 
ing more  widely  understood  and  appreciated.  Some 
idea  of  the  company's  growth  may  be  derived  from  a 
comparison  of  its  present  connected  business  with  that 
of  ten  years  ago. 

Light. 

Fiscal  year  ending  1894 183,400  16  candlepower 

Fiscal  year  ending  1905 775,900  16  candlepower 

Power. 

Fiscal  year  ending  1894 3,600  horsepower 

Fiscal  year  ending  1905 55,ooo  horsepower 

The  officers  of  the  company  are:  Samuel  Insull, 
president ;  Robert  T.  Lincoln,  first  vice-president ;  Louis 
A.  Ferguson,  second  vice-president;  William  A.  Fox, 
secretary  and  treasurer:  Robert  L.  Elliott,  assistant 
secretary ;  John  H.  Gulick,  auditor. 

Commonwealth  Electric  Company.  About  the 
year  1889,  in  the  small  towns  then  existing  around 
Chicago,  which  have  now  become  a  part  of  the 
city,  a  number  of  small  companies  or  individuals 
almost  simultaneously  obtained  franchises  for  the  erec- 
tion of  poles  for  systems  of  electrical  distribution  in 
the  various  sections,  and  small  lighting  businesses  were 
started.  Many  of  these  districts  overlapped  each  other, 
and  all  were  in  contact  with  competitors,  so  that 
1896  found  no  less  than  ten  small  companies  operating 
in  what  had  now  become  the  new  portion  of  the  city. 


THE  CITY   OF  CHICAGO. 


197 


Most  of  these  properties  were  not  very  profitable  to 
the  holders  of  their  securities,  and  some  were  hardly 
able  to  pay  their  bond  interest.  Continuous  require- 
ments for  additional  investment  for  extensions,  taken 
perforce  from  earnings,  and  a  ruinous  competition  had 
seriously  interfered  with  the  success  which  promised 
at  the  time  of  their  establishment.  About  this  time 
certain  gentlemen  of  discriminating  judgment  in  the 
matter  of  lighting  fields  and  of  wide  experience  in  the 
electric  lighting  business  generally,  controlling  ample 
means  of  financing  any  proposition  which  received  their 


Power  Company,  Hyde  Park  Thomson-Houston  Light 
Company,  Hyde  Park  Electric  Company,  Englewood 
Electric  Company,  Mutual  Electric  Light  Company, 
West  Chicago  Light  &  Power  Company,  Western 
Light  &  Power  Company,  Edgewater  Light  Com- 
pany, and  Miller  Electric  Light  Company. 

The  new  company  found  itself  the  owner  of  a  hetero- 
geneous assortment  of  plants  and  systems,  supplying 
various  kinds  of  electric  energy  over  a  district  compris- 
ing about  one  hundred  square  miles  of  territory.  As 
soon  as  conditions  would  permit,  a  number  of  the  less 


SECTIONAL  VIEW     OF    THE    COMMONWEALTH     ELECTRIC   COMPANY'S   WORKS. 


endorsement,  began  the  movement  which,  in  1898, 
resulted  in  the  purchase  of  all  the  companies  by  a  corpo- 
ration formed  at  that  time,  named  the  Commonwealth 
Electric  Company.  This  company  was  possessed  of  a 
broad  and  liberal  .franchise  for  the  installation  and  oper- 
ation of  underground  systems  of  conductors  for  the 
distribution  of  electricity  in  the  finer  portion  of  the  old 
city,  and  pole  line  systems  in  the  balance  of  the 
old  city  and  all  of  the  new  city.  The  following  plants 
were  thus  consolidated :  People's  Electric  Light  & 
Motor  Power  Company,  People's  Electric  Light  & 


important  plants  in  the  southern  district  were  shut 
down  and  their  business  transferred  to  several  of  the 
larger  plants  acquired  by  the  consolidation.  A  little 
later,  the  several  inherited  systems  of  varying  press- 
ures and  frequencies  having  meanwhile  been  standard- 
ized and  inter-connected,  these  remaining  stations  were 
in  turn  superseded  by  a  large  and  modern  oo-cycle 
polyphase  generating  plant  which  the  Commonwealth 
Company  erected  at  Fifty-sixth  and  Wallace  streets 
and  which  was  placed  in  operation  in  the  latter  part 
of  1900.  The  original  capacity  of  the  station  was  1.400 


198 


THE   CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 


kilowatts,  but  this  was  increased  to  2,400  kilowatts  dur- 
ing the  following  year.  The  output  of  this  station  is 
distributed  by  means  of  a  3-phase,  4-wire,  2,300-4,000- 
volt,  6o-cycle  overhead  system  of  primary  distribution, 
with  H5-23O-volt  single-phase  secondary  for  lighting, 
and  22O-volt,  3-phase  current  for  power  service,  sup- 
plying practically  all  of  the  southern  residential  dis- 
trict. About  a  year  after  the  completion  of  the  Fifty- 
sixth  Street  station,  the  plant  of  the  old  Western  Light 
&  Power  Company  (now  known  as  the  Lake  View 
station)  was  rearranged  for  3-phase,  6o-cycle  distribu- 
tion. Thereupon  ensued  an  era  of  sub-station  develop- 
ment with  25-cycle,  g.ooo-volt  transmission  from  the 
generating  stations.  The  economic  necessity  for  one 
great  generating  center,  however,  soon  became  appar- 
ent, and  the  ultimate  relegation  of  both  the  Fifty-sixth 
Street  and  Lake  View  stations  to  the  subordinate  posi- 
tion of  subsidiary  steam  plants  was  determined  upon 
when  plans  were  prepared  for  the  imposing  Fisk 
Street  station.  The  building  of  this  vast  plant,  one 
section  of  which  was  completed  and  put  in  operation 
in  September,  1903,  marked  the  advent  of  the  large  ver- 
tical steam  turbine  in  central  station  service,  and  as  far 
as  Chicago  was  concerned,  the  gradual  conversion  of 
6o-cycle  generating  plants  into  sub-stations  equipped 
with  frequency-changing  apparatus  fed  by  an  inter- 
connected system  of  25-cycle 
transmission  lines  from  the  Fisk 
Street  station.  This  station  is 
located  at  the  junction  of  Fisk 
street  and  the  south  branch  of  the 
Chicago  river,  about  three  miles 
from  the  center  of  the  down-town 
business  distrct.  It  stands  in  the 
center  of  a  23-acre  plat  of  land, 
and  the  building,  as  at  present 
constructed,  consists  of  the  boiler 
house,  190  by  165  feet,  the  turbine 
house,  225  by  65  feet,  both  of  steel 
construction,  and  the  separate 
switch  house,  140  by  50  feet. 
These  structures  are  designed  for 
future  expansion  to  three  and  one- 
half  times  the  present  capacity. 
Of  the  French  style  of  archi- 
tecture, with  red  pressed  brick 
walls  and  cut  stone  trimmings, 
they  form  a  pleasant  contrast  to 
the  ordinary  river  front  property. 
The  present  installation  con- 
sists of  three  complete  units,  con- 
sisting of  coal  conveyors,  boilers, 
Curtis  turbo-generators,  steam 
and  electrical  auxiliaries  and 


switching  apparatus,  having  a  total  capacity  of  18,000 
kilowatts.  A  fourth  unit  is  nearly  completed,  and  the 
fifth  and  sixth  are  under  way.  The  ultimate  installa- 
tion contemplates  fourteen  units,  with  an  aggregate 
capacity  of  over  1 00,000  kilowatts. 

The  growth  of  the  company's  business  during  the 
last  seven  years  is  shown  by  the  following  comparison : 

Light.  Power. 

16  cp.  horse 

equivalent.  power. 

Fiscal  year  ending  March  31,  1899.  .  130,700  350 

Fiscal  year  ending  March  31,  1905.  .553,400        11,700 

The  executive  offices  of  the  company  are  located  in 
the  Edison  building,  139  Adams  street,  and  its  officers 
are:  Samuel  Instill,  president;  Robert  T.  Lincoln,  first 
vice-president ;  Louis  A.  Ferguson,  second  vice-presi- 
dent; William  A.  Fox,  secretary  and  treasurer;  Robert 
L.  Elliott,  assistant  secretary;  John  H.  Gulick,  auditor. 

The    People's    Gas    Light    &    Coke    Company    was 

organized  under  special  perpetual  charter  by  act  of  the 
Legislature  of  Illinois  February  15,  1855,  amended 
February  7,  1865,  to  carry  on  the  business  of  furnishing 
gas  and  its  bi-products  in  the  city  of  Chicago  and  vicin- 
ity. August  2,  1897,  the  Chicago  Gas  Light  &  Coke 
Company,  the  Consumers'  Gas  Company,  the  Equitable 
Gas  Light  &  Fuel  Company,  the  Suburban  Gas  Com- 


PEOPLE'S   GAS   LIGHT   &   COKE   COMPANY'S   BUILDING. 


THE  CITY  OF  CHICAGO. 


199 


pany,  the  Lake  Gas  Company,  the  Illinois  Light,  Heat 
&  Power  Company  and  the  Chicago  Economic  Fuel 
Gas  Company  became  merged  into  the  People's  Gas 
Light  &  Coke  Company,  so  as  to  form  a  single  cor- 
poration, pursuant  to  the  laws  of  Illinois.  The  above- 
named  companies  have  ceased  to  exist,  and  their  capital 
stock  was  canceled  at  the  time  the  People's  company 
increased  its  capital  to  $25,000,000. 

The  officers  of  the  People's  Gas  Light  &  Coke 
Company  are :  Chairman  of  the  Board,  C.  K.  G.  Bil- 
lings; President,  George  O.  Knapp;  Vice-President, 
Anthony  N.  Brady;  Second  Vice-President,  Walton 
Ferguson ;  Third  Vice-President,  C.  K.  Wooster ;  Secre- 
tary, L.  A.  Wiley;  Assistant  Secretary,  H.  W.  Wolcott; 
Second  Assistant  Secretary  and  Treasurer,  F.  A.  Crane ; 
Treasurer,  W.  S.  McCrea ;  Assistant  Treasurer,  J.  S. 
Zimmerman.  Directors :  C.  K.  G.  Billings,  A.  N. 
Brady,  Walton  Ferguson,  A.  R.  Fowler,  George  O. 
Knapp. 

The  capital  stock  of  the  People's  Gas  Light  &  Coke 
Company  has  been  increased  to  $35,000,000,  authorized 
in  shares  of  the  par  value  of  $100  each,  of  which  $32,- 
969,100  is  outstanding.  Bonds  to  the  amount  of  $34,- 
496,000  are  outstanding. 

The  supreme  court  of  Illinois  recently  sustained  the 
constitutionality  of  the  act  of  the  General  Assembly 
passed  in  1897,  under  which  this  company  acquired  the 
properties  of  several  other  companies  theretofore 
engaged  in  manufacturing  and  distributing  gas  in  Chi- 
cago. The  company  was  successful  in  the  court  below, 
and  the  state  appealed  to  the  supreme  court,  which 
in  a  very  full  and  elaborate  opinion  held  the  act  of  1897 
to  be  constitutional,  and  not  subject  to  any  of  the  attacks 
made  upon  it  by  the  state.  More  recently  the  United 
States  Circuit  court  for  the  Northern  District  of  Illinois 
held  that  the  city  of  Chicago  did  not  have  the  legal  power 
to  pass  an  ordinance  to  fix  the  price  of  gas,  and  that  the 
ordinance  adopted  by  the  city  council  in  October,  1900, 
in  force  January  i,  1901,  whereby  the  city  sought  to 
compel  the  People's  Gas  Light  &  Coke  Company  to  sell 
gas  for  75  cents  per  thousand  cubic  feet,  was  invalid 
and  void,  and  an  injunction  restraining  the  enforce- 
ment of  that  ordinance  was  ordered. 

The  Ogdcn  Gas  Company  was  organized  in  1895, 
when  a  construction  company  was  created,  called  the 
Western  Republic  Construction  Company.  Its  direc- 
tors were  Thomas  Gahan,  E.  R.  Brainard,  A.  J.  Gra- 
ham, Roger  C.  Sullivan,  Jacob  Franks.  Thomas  Gahan 
was  president ;  E.  R.  Brainard,  vice-president,  and 
Roger  C.  Sullivan,  secretary  and  treasurer.  Applica- 
tion for  a  permit  under  the  city  ordinances  was  made 
in  March,  1896,  but  construction  operations  were  not 
begun  until  some  time  thereafter.  The  plant,  having 


a  capacity  of  about  1,000,000  feet  a  clay,  was  erected 
between  Hawthorne  avenue  and  the  north  branch  of 
the  Chicago  river,  near  the  tracks  of  the  Chicago,  Mil- 
waukee &  St.  Paul  Railroad,  and  twenty-two  miles  of 
mains  were  laid  in  the  North  Side.  The  present 
capacity  of  the  plant  is  between  four  and  five  million 
cubic  feet  per  day,  and  the  mileage  of  mains  has  been 
more  than  trebled. 

The  company  has  an  authorized  capital  of 
$10,000,000,  of  which  only  $5,000,000  has  been  issued. 
It  has  $6,000,000  45-year  5  per  cent  gold  bonds  out- 
standing. 

Present  directors:  John  R.  Walsh,  John  M. 
Smyth,  John  A.  Spoor,  Thomas  Gahan,  Roger  C.  Sul- 
livan. 

Officers :  Acting  president,  secretary  and  treasurer, 
Roger  C.  Sullivan;  general  manager,  T.  V.  Pur- 
cell. 

The  Ogden  Gas  Company  is  now  doing  the  largest 
business  it  has  ever  done  during  the  history  of  the 
company.  While  its  street  mains  have  not  been  ex- 
tended to  any  considerable  extent  the  company  has 
found  all  it  could  possibly  do  to  meet  the  con- 
stantly increasing  demands  of  new  consumers  along 
the  line  of  mains  heretofore  laid.  With  all  the  new 
machinery  and  apparatus  installed  during  the  previous 
years,  it  has  been  able  to  meet  every  demand.  The 
general  public  has  shown  beyond  all  question  that  it 
fully  appreciates  the  fact  this  company  has  given  them 
the  go-cent  rate,  while  before  its  coming  no  rate  lower 
than  $1.00  had  ever  been  known. 

One  of  the  important  departments  of  this  company 
and  one  that  has  been  of  material  help  to  patrons,  is 
the  supply  house  at  653  North  Clark  street,  where 
every  appliance  in  the  way  of  gas  ranges,  piping  and 
fixtures,  arc  lights,  water  distillers,  etc.,  which  may  be 
paid  for  in  cash  or  bought  on  the  easy  payment  plan, 
are  available. 

The  main  offices  of  the  company  are  located  at  115 
Dearborn  street.  The  Ogden  Gas  Company,  unlike 
some  private  corporations,  has  always  acted  with  a 
lively  sense  of  the  rights  of  the  public.  "Make  the 
service  better  and  better"  is  the  constant  aim  of  the 
Ogden  management.  The  company  spares  neither 
time  nor  money  in  its  efforts  to  make  its  relations  with 
the  public  pleasant  and  satisfactory'.  It  requires  all  its 
employees  to  show  the  greatest  courtesy  to  the  public 
under  all  circumstances  and  in  all  matters.  Any  dis- 
courtesy in  manner  or  in  speech  toward  any  con- 
sumer of  the  gas  company,  whether  such  visitor  is 
applying  for  gas  or  paying  a  bill  is  immediately  repri- 
manded, and  repetitions  of  the  offense  result  in  the  dis- 
missal of  the  employee. 


200 


THE  CITY   OF  CHICAGO. 


Chicago  Telephone  Company.  \Yhen  one  consid- 
ers the  great  area  of  the  city,  the  tremendous  amount 
of  business  transacted  daily  and  the  well-known  strenu- 
ous habits  of  its  citizens,  it  is  not  surprising'  to  record 
the  fact  that  Chicago  has  always  been,  in  the  amount  of 
service  required,  the  leading  telephone  city  in  the  world. 
In  Chicago  everybody  uses  the  telephone.  There  is 
hardly  to  be  found  a  man  or  woman  who  cannot  give 


CHICAGO    TELEPHONE    COMPANY'S    BUILDING. 

their  telephone  address,  representing  the  telephone 
either  in  their  own  homes  or  places  of  employment  or 
the  nearest  telephone  at  which  they  can  be  reached. 
The  telephone  directory  is  the  Blue  Book  of  the  city  as 
far  as  business  firms  or  residences  are  concerned.  By 
means  of  nearly  100,000  telephones  now  installed  in  the 
city  exchange,  and  40,000  in  surrounding  suburban  dis- 
tricts, the  Chicago  Telephone  Company  is  affording 
service  to  the  city  which,  in  volume,  has  probably  never 
been  reached  in  any  other  part  of  the  world. 


In  1893,  when  the  number  of  telephones  in  Chicago 
reached  10,000,  the  Chicago  telephone  exchange  was 
the  largest  in  the  world,  and  by  many  it  was  thought 
that  the  limit  had  been  about  reached.  Within  a  few 
years  from  that  time,  however,  the  ever-increasing  num- 
ber of  telephone  users  began  to  appreciate  the  fact  that 
what  they  wanted  was  not  the  telephone,  but  the  tele- 
phone service  or  message  either  within  the  limits  of  a 
city  exchange  or  its  suburbs  or  the  surrounding  country. 
In  New  York,  perhaps,  there  was  a  first  appreciation  of 
this  fact,  and  measured  service  was  there  introduced 
which  provided  that  the  subscribers  should  pay  for  the 
service  in  accordance  with  the  number  of  messages  sent. 
At  about  the  same  time  operating  plans  and  apparatus 
were  introduced  making  it  possible  for  the  user  of  a 
telephone  to  pay  for  his  service  at  the  time  it  was  ren- 
dered, making  the  measured  service  a  "pay  as  you  go" 
proposition.  The  exchange  in  New  York  under  these 
plans  proceeded  to  grow  at  a  phenomenal  rate. 

In  the  Chicago  exchange  provision  was  made  as 
rapidly  as  possible  for  the  offering  of  service  on  both  of 
these  plans,  and  immediately  the  exchange  began  a  phe- 
nomenal growth,  which  is  still  under  way,  so  that  within 
the  city  exchange  at  the  present  time  nearly  100,000 
telephones  are  operated,  a  very  large  majority  being  on 
the  measured  service  plan,  and  generally  on  what  is 
called  the  "nickel-in-the-slot"  basis.  There  were  nat- 
urally a  number  of  difficulties  to  be  surmounted  in  pro- 
viding apparatus  which  would  handle  nickel  service,  but 
improvements  in  the  machinery  have  kept  pace  with  the 
demand  for  the  introduction  of  the  service,  and  the 
nickel-in-the-slot  telephone  is  extending  its  field  of  use- 
fulness every  day. 

It  is  an  attractive  proposition  to  anyone  that  tele- 
phone service  may  be  paid  for  at  the  time  it  is  rendered, 
and  that  the  payment  is  made  by  the  person  getting  the 
service,  so  that  from  the  smallest  private  residence, 
where,  at  a  guaranty  of  five  cents  a  day  for  service,  it  is 
possible  to  have  the  telephone  available  at  all  hours, 
up  to  busy  offices  and  warehouses  where  it  is  desired 
that  the  use  of  the  telephone  shall  be  restricted  to  the 
necessary  business  of  a  company  or  firm,  the  pay-as-you- 
go  instrument  meets  with  hearty  appreciation. 

There  are  some  things  about  the  Chicago  exchange 
which  are  not  generally  understood.  Originally  .its 
limits  reached  only  to  Fullerton  avenue  on  the  North 
side  and  Thirty-ninth  street  on  the  South  side.  Its  area 
has  widened  as  the  density  of  population  has  warranted 
construction  of  telephone  lines  in  sufficient  number. 
Now  the  company  has  extended  the  northern  limits  to 
reach  the  boundaries  of  Rogers  Park  exchange  district. 
On  the  south  the  limits  have  been  gradually  extended 
year  by  year  by  the  company  until  they  now  reach  Sev- 
enty-ninth street,  while  the  western  boundary  is  about 


THE    CITY    OF   CHICAGO. 


201 


along  the  line  of  Fortieth  avenue.  This  territory,  nearly 
eighteen  miles  long  and  more  than  five  miles  wide,  is 
greater  than  that  embraced  in  any  other  one  telephone 
exchange,  and  it  requires  a  tremendous  plant  in  the  way 
of  exchange  buildings  and  offices  filled  with  switching 
apparatus,  as  well  as  of  underground  cables  and  wires, 
to  furnish  such  a  widespread  service.  Within  the  limits 
of  this  Chicago  exchange  there  is  communication  at 
standard  rates  without  any  added  toll. 

It  has  been  supposed  by  many  that  the  field  of 
operations  of  the  Chicago  Telephone  Company  was  the 
city  of  Chicago  alone.  This  is  by  no  means  the  case. 
The  company  operates  in  the  territory  embraced  in  a 
radius  of  about  fifty  miles  from  Chicago,  having  114 
separate  exchanges  and  seventy-six  toll  stations  in  this 
territory,  such  exchanges  as  Elgin,  Joliet,  Aurora,  Oak 
Park,  Evanston,  etc.,  being  the  leading  ones  in  the  point 
of  size.  In  ten  of  these  cities  the  company  has  erected 
office  buildings  for  its  own  use,  and  its  plants  of  wires 
and  cables  is  co-extensive  with  their  limits.  In  addi- 
tion, the  company  has  more  than  12,000  miles  of  toll 
lines,  extending  in  a  network  from  Chicago  to  each  of 
these  cities  and  towns,  and  from  one  to  the  other,  mak- 
ing it  possible  to  communicate  by  telephone  at  a  cost 
ranging  from  10  cents  upward,  according  to  distance. 

Running  into  nearly  all  of  these  suburban  and 
country  exchanges  are  lines  reaching  not  only  the  sur- 
rounding villages  and  towns  within  the  various  coun- 
ties and  townships,  but  also  the  residences  of  farmers, 
who  to  the  number  of  several  thousands  are  already  fur- 
nished with  telephone  connection  by  the  company  and 
may  speak  from  their  houses  not  only  to  the  nearest 
town  or  county  seat,  but  with  Chicago  and  the  sur- 
rounding country.  In  some  parts  of  the  country  efforts 
have  been  made  to  develop  this  farmers'  line  service  by 
a  cheap  class  of  construction,  stringing  an  indefinite 
number  of  subscribers  on  one  wire,  as  many  as  thirty 
in  some  cases,  the  result  being  generally  a  demoralized 
service.  The  Chicago  Telephone  Company  has  endeav- 
ored to  avoid  this  by  providing  a  high  class  of  con- 
struction and  special  plans  of  operating,  by  means  of 
which  as  many  as  eight  farmers  are  accommodated  on 
one  circuit  with  a  minimum  of  interference.  The  natural 
result  of  such  an  extended  and  available  service  has  been 
to  increase  very  greatly  the  demand  for  it,  and  this  has 
been  such  that  it  is  almost  impossible  to  keep  pace  with 
it  except  by  a  tremendous  expenditure  of  capital  and 
greatest  effort  on  the  part  of  the  staff  of  the  company. 

The  increase  in  the  number  of  telephones  during  the 
last  three  years  has  been  at  the  rate  of  20,000  a  year,  and 
at  one  time  was  at  such  a  rate  that  the  company  was 
obliged  to  cease  all  advertising  and  canvassing  and 
accept  such  orders  as  were  proffered  subject  to  inevitable 
delay  occasioned  by  their  great  number. 


It  is  difficult  to  appreciate  the  extended  scope  of  the 
service  without  a  close  inquiry  into  its  details.  Interest- 
ing features,  however,  are  found  in  the  fact  that  tele- 
phones are  now  installed  in  more  than  25,000  private 
residences  in  Chicago;  that  in  all  of  the  leading 
hotels  telephones  are  .installed  in  every  room,  and 
equipped  for  city  exchange  or  toll-line  service  through 
a  private  switchboard  in  the  hotel  office;  that  in  more 
than  1,000  places  of  business,  including  nearly  every 
newspaper,  railway,  express  company,  packing-house 
and  like  industry,  private  branch  exchanges  are  located, 
a  special  operator  being  employed  to  handle  telephone 
calls  and  trunk  lines  being  extended  to  the  nearest  tele- 
phone exchange.  In  such  establishments  the  telephone 
on  the  desk  of  the  head  of  a  department  is  just  as  impor- 
tant as  the  pen. 

Every  large  department  store  in  the  city  has  a  pri- 
vate exchange  of  this  character,  and  nickel  telephones 
enclosed  in  soundproof  booths  are  found  on  every  floor 
and  in  every  department  for  the  convenience  of  cus- 
tomers. One  of  the  largest  retail  establishments  in  the 
city  has  more  than  400  telephones  of  this  kind  and 
employs  twelve  operators  constantly  to  attend  to  the 
service.  In  a  number  of  the  leading  restaurants  it  is  so 
provided  that  a  telephone  may  be  brought  to  any  table, 
and  conversation  carried  on  directly  from  it.  It  is  almost 
impossible  to  appreciate  what  a  tremendous  saving  of 
time  is  accomplished  by  the  service  of  such  a  telephone 
exchange.  At  a  cost  of  5  cents  one  may  reach  any 
one  of  100,000  telephones,  within  an  area  of  nearly 
100  square  miles,  and  one  may  provide  himself  with  a 
telephone  to  meet  the  requirements  of  his  own  service 
on  any  one  of  the  various  plans  necessary  for  such 
requirements,  and  at  a  cost  for  some  classes  of  service  as 
low  as  5  cents  a  day. 

The  Illinois  Tunnel  Company  owns  and  operates  the 
largest  tunnel  system  in  the  world.  At  present  it 
stretches  under  the  streets  of  Chicago  for  a  distance  of 
forty  miles.  All  this  has  been  built  without  accident 
or  injury  to  the  immense  skyscrapers  which  tower 
about  it  in  the  business  section  of  the  city.  When  the 
system  is  completed  its  bores  will  reach  on  each  of  the 
three  sides  of  the  city  to  a  distance  of  seven  miles  from 
the  loop  center. 

New  York,  Boston,  London  and  other  cities  have 
tunnels  that  are  more  widely  known  than  those  of  the 
Illinois  Tunnel  Company.  The  subways  of  other  cities 
are  for  passengers,  while  the  tunnels  of  Chicago  are 
for  freight.  Chicago  keeps  the  streets  for  its  citizens 
and  handles  its  freight  and  heavy  traffic  underground. 
It  is  the  pioneer  city  to  build  tunnels  for  this  purpose 
and  the  construction  work  already  completed  is  the 
marvel  of  the  engineering  world. 

The   Illinois   Tunnel   Company's   tunnels  are   com- 


202 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


pleted  forty  feet  under  .the  surface  of  every  street  in  this 
territory.  Every  building  located  on  these  streets  can 
transfer  freight  through  the  tunnels  to  any  part  of  the 
United  States. 

Chicago's  business  center  has  been  confined  to  a 
small  area  of  territory  extending  i^  miles  north  and 
south  and  one  mile  west,  with  Lake  Michigan  on  the 
east  and  the  river  on  the  north.  The  railways  have 
located  their  freight  yards  south,  north  and  west  so 
close  to  this  center  that  the  commercial  interests  have 
been  confined  to  this  territory.  The  enormous  growth 


not  in  the  tunnels.  This  not  only  prevents  any  conges- 
tion in  the  tunnels,  but  furnishes  a  capacity  many  times 
the  present  requirements. 

The  transfer  of  coal  to  the  tunnel  company's  cars 
is  through  gravity  yards.  The  coal  bins  in  the  yards 
are  between  the  track  level  and  the  roof  of  the  tunnel. 
When  delivered  to  the  buildings  it  is  dumped  into  a 
hopper,  and  by  means  of  coal  conveyors  is  taken  up 
into  the  basement  and  dumped  into  other  bins.  Ashes 
are  passed  down  through  chutes  into  the  tunnel  cars. 

Since  the  completion  of  the  tunnel  system  all  new 


SECTIONAL    VIEW    OF    THE    ILLINOIS    TUNNEL    COMPANY'S    TUNNELS. 


of  the  city's  business  has  so  congested  the  streets  within 
this  area  that  the  cost  of  cartage  of  freight  to  business 
houses  has  increased  over  100  per  cent  in  the  past  few 
years.  Five  years  ago  a  team  could  handle  five  and  six 
loads  per  day;  to-day  it  is  impossible  for  the  same  teams 
to  exceed  two  or  three  loads  per  day. 

The  first  necessity  in  the  Illinois  Tunnel  Company's 
transportation  system  was  to  establish  a  car  which 
could  be  elevated  into  the  basement  of  any  building, 
without  cost  of  alteration  to  the  premises.  All  cars  are 
loaded  and  unloaded  in  the  warehouse  basements  and 


buildings  being  constructed  in  the  business  section  of 
the  city  have  the  excavation  and  building  material  trans- 
ported through  the  tunnels.  The  public  enjoys  the  bene- 
fit of  having  this  offensive  traffic  taken  from  the  streets. 
The  Illinois  Tunnel  Company  is  owned  by  the  inter- 
ests which  control  the  railroads.  The  tunnels  not  only 
benefit  the  community  by  removing  traffic  congestion 
from  the  streets,  but  also  they  enable  all  the  railroads 
to  receive  and  deliver  freight  twenty-four  hours  each 
day.  By  teams  they  were  able  to  transfer  freight  only 
8  or  10  hours  per  day  even  when  the  weather  permitted. 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


203 


This  tunnel  system  is  now  only  in  its  infancy ;  no  one 
can  foretell  the  purposes  and  uses  to  which  it  will  be  put 
in  the  future.  It  may  solve  the  smoke  nuisance.  By 
locating  a  central  steam  plant  it  could  supply  steam  for 
heating  and  power  to  all  of  the  buildings  in  the  business 
district  at  less  cost  than  the  smoky  individual  plants 
now  operated  by  coal  can  be  maintained.  Refrigeration 
can  be  furnished  from  the  same  central  power  plant,  fur- 
nishing cold  storage  to  buildings,  hotels,  restaurants 
and  factories. 

Nothing  has  ever  been  developed  in  the  history  of 
any  city  which  will  prove  such  beneficial  results  to  the 
whole  community  as  these  tunnels.  They  will  work 
out  the  method  of  better  paved  and  cleaner  streets ;  will 
prevent  loss  of  that  business  to  the  city  which  increased 
cost  of  handling,  owing  to  congestion  of  its  streets,  has 
gradually  diverted  to  other  cities,  and  will  permit  the 
use  of  the  streets  to  every  citizen  with  less  risk  to  life 
or  limb. 

The  company  proposes  to  extend  its  system  of  tun- 
nels to  cover  the  residence  district  for  the  delivery  of 
packages,  etc.  No  public  improvement  of  this  or  any 
other  age  ever  equaled  this  undertaking,  and  Chicago 
prides  itself  with  being  the  pioneer  city  of  the  world  in 
adopting  an  improvement  which  means :  The  streets 
for  the  people — subways  for  freight. 

George  W.  Jackson,  as  consulting  and  contracting 
engineer,  has  managed  the  expenditure  of  over  $25,- 
000,000  for  construction  work  in  twenty-five  years. 
He  is  credited  with  being  the  first  engineer  in  this 
country  to  complete  an  all  concrete  underground  con- 
struction, and  with  being  the  first  engineer  to  design 
and  install  a  successful  pneumatic  tube  system  for  the 
transmission  of  packages  underground,  having  designed 
and  constructed  over  fifteen  miles  of  pneumatic  tubes 
for  the  City  and  Associated  Press  Associations  of 
Chicago. 

Under  Mr.  Jackson's  management  was  con- 
structed a  fourteen-foot,  all  concrete,  storm-water 
sewer  system  for  Reading,  Pennsylvania.  He  built  the 
Strickler  tunnel,  one  and  a  quarter  miles  in  length, 
through  the  Pike's  Peak  Range,  at  an  elevation  of 
12,700  feet  above  sea  level,  and  has  constructed  subways 
at  Indianapolis.  Indiana,  Columbus,  Ohio,  and  Musca- 
tine,  Iowa.  He  built  the  bridges  at  North  Halsted, 
Randolph,  Loomis,  Eighteenth,  Harrison  and  Twenty- 
second  streets  for  the  city  and  sanitary  district  of  Chi- 
cago ;  constructed  tiie  Wentworth  avenue  and  Belmont 
avenue  drainage  systems,  the  Sixty-seventh  street  low- 
level  drainage  system  and  miles  of  other  drainage  sys- 
tems for  Chicago  and  St.  Paul ;  laid  the  entire  conduit 
system  in  the  downtown  district  for  the  Chicago  Tele- 
phone, Western  Union  and  Postal  Telegraph  and  Chi- 
cago Underground  Sectional  Conduit  companies,  and 


has  done  a  large  part  of  the  construction  work  for  the 
cable  systems  of  the  traction  companies,  and  for  the 
lighting  systems  of  the  South  and  West  Park  boards. 

Mr.  Jackson  has  designed  and  patented  what  is 
known  as  the  first  practical  steel  sheeting,  as  well  as  the 
steel  forms  and  ribs  for  forming  concrete,  and  what  is 
known  as  the  Jackson  column  bar  for  driving  rock 
tunnels.  In  1903  he  was  appointed  by  Mayor  Harrison 
hydraulic  engineer  for  the  High  Pressure  Water  Com- 
mission, and  designed  for  it  a  high-pressure  system. 
He  was  chosen  by  the  city  council's  local  transportation 
committee  as  consulting  engineer,  to  advise  it  as  to  the 


GEORGE    W.    JACKSON. 

construction  of  traction  subways.  He  has  also  devised 
for  the  city  a  new  sanitary  sewer  system. 

During  the  past  five  years  he  has  been  chief  engineer 
and  general  manager  of  the  Illinois  Telephone  &  Tele- 
graph and  the  Illinois  Tunnel  companies,  for  which  he 
has  engineered  and  managed  the  construction  of  thirty- 
three  miles  of  tunnels,  which  have  been  constructed  in 
every  street  within  the  district  bounded  by  Fifteenth, 
Halsted  and  Illinois  streets  and  Lake  Michigan.  He 
has  equipped  the  system  with  rails,  trolleys,  drainage 
facilities  and  a  telephone  system. 

Mr.  Jackson  is  president  of  the  Jackson  &  Corbett 
Bridge  &  Steel  Works ;  the  Jackson  &  Corbett  Company 
and  the  Interlocking  Steel  Sheeting  Company,  and  is 
advising  engineer  for  the  Pike's  Peak  Hydro-Electric 
Company. 

Mr.  Jackson  was  born  in  Chicago,  July  21,  1861, 
and  is  of  English-Irish  descent.  He  received  his 
education  in  the  public  and  technical  schools,  and  in 


204 


THE    CITY    OF   CHICAGO. 


the  school  of  experience.  He  graduated  from  the  tech- 
nical schools  in  1878,  and  entered  upon  a  construction 
and  engineering1  business  in  1880,  in  which  he  has  been 
engaged  continuously  ever  since. 

His  family  consists  of  his  wife,  Rose  Theresa  Jackson, 
his  daughter.  Rose  Casey  Jackson,  aged  eighteen  years, 
and  his  son,  Thomas  Casey  Jackson,  aged  twenty  years. 
Mr.  Jackson  has  lived  for  twenty  years  in  the  heart  of 
the  business  district,  his  residence  being  a  handsomely 
appointed  flat  on  the  top  floor  of  the  building  at  177 
Monroe  street. 

W.  S.  Bogle,  president  of  the  Crescent  Coal  &  Min- 
ing Company,  was  born  in  Dover,  New  Hampshire,  of 
Scotch  parentage.  He  came  to  Chicago  with  his  parents 
in  1861,  his -father,  Daniel  Bogle,  being  one  of  the  noted 


W.    S.    BOGLE. 

engraver  experts.  He  was  awarded  the  gold  medal  for 
excellence  in  engraving  at  the  Crystal  Palace,  New 
York,  the  first  World's  fair  held  in  this  country. 

Mr.  Bogle  graduated  from  the  Chicago  High  School 
in  1868,  and  immediately  afterwards  went  into  the  coal 
business  with  his  father,  and  has  been  in  it  ever  since. 
He  organized  the  Crescent  Coal  &  Mining  Company  in 
1891,  previous  to  which  time  he  had  been  western  sales 
agent  for  the  Delaware  &  Hudson  Company  for  a  num- 
ber of  years.  From  a  comparatively  small  beginning 
the  Crescent  Company  has  grown  to  be  one  of  the 
largest  firms  in  point  of  tonnage  in  the  Chicago  market. 
Mr.  Bogle  has  also  owned  and  developed  a  great  many 
bituminous  coal  mines,  independent  of  the  Crescent 
Company,  in  West  Virginia,  Ohio  and  Indiana,  his  prin- 
cipal operations  having  been  in  Indiana.  He  founded 


the  W.  S.  Bogle  Coal  &  Mining  Company,  of  which  he 
was  president ;  the  Torrey  Coal  &  Mining  Company,  of 
which  he  was  also  president,  and  the  Indiana  Fuel  Com- 
pany in  which  he  held  a  half  interest,  and  was  vice-pres- 
ident of  the  Baltimore  &  Ohio  Coal  Company  of  Colum- 
bus, Ohio.  He  recently  disposed  of  all  his  mining 
interests  to  the  different  syndicates  which  had  been 
absorbing  the  Indiana  mining  properties.  At  the  pres- 
ent time,  in  addition  to  being  president  of  the  Crescent 
Coal  &  Mining  Company,  he  is  also  president  of  the 
Consolidated  Anthracite  Coal  Company  of  Spadra, 
Arkansas,  which  controls  practically  all  of  the  territory 
in  which  this  coal  is  found.  This  coal  is  equivalent  in 
all  respects  to  the  Pennsylvania  anthracite,  and  the 
demand  for  it  is  so  great  that  the  company  has  difficulty 
in  developing  fast  enough  to  supply  it. 

Mr.  Bogle  is  a  Democrat,  and  for  many  years  was 
active  in  party  management  of  Cook  County.  He 
retired  from  politics  in  1892,  after  having  served  as 
chairman  of  the  Central  committee  of  the  party  for  sev- 
eral years.  For  a  number  of  years  he  was  vice-president 
of  the  Iroquois  Club,  and  served  one  term  as  president, 
refusing  on  the  expiration  of  his  term  to  accept  of  the 
second  nomination.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Union 
League  Club,  Chicago  Yacht  Club,  Germania  Man- 
nerchor  of  Chicago  and  the  Manhattan  Club  of  New 
York. 

In  1872  he  was  married  to  Miss  Delia  Stearns  of 
Chicago.  He  has  three  children,  two  daughters  and 
one  son.  The  son,  Walter  S.  Bogle,  Jr.,  was  educated 
at  the  Cornell  University  as  mechanical  and  mining 
engineer,  and  is  now  general  manager  of  the  Consoli- 
dated Anthracite  Coal  Company  of  Spadra,  Arkansas, 
having  full  charge  of  the  operation  of  the  mines. 

Thomas  J.  O'Gara  started  in  the  coal  business 
eight  years  ago  with  practically  no  capital.  To-day  he 
controls  mining  and  coal  interests  worth  $6,000,000. 
Mr.  O'Gara  started  in  the  business  in  1897  as  a  jobber 
with  little  capital  and  no  prospect  of  ever  becoming 
a  mine  owner.  In  1905,  he  owned  and  operated  twenty- 
seven  mines,  organized  a  $6,000,000  coal  corporation 
of  which  he  is  the  president  and  principal  owner,  and 
is  now  recognized  as  one  of  the  leading  coal  men  of 
the  country. 

Mr.  O'Gara  was  born  in  Ireland  about  forty  years 
ago,  and  came  to  Chicago  in  1886.  For  several  years 
he  worked  as  a  salesman  in  the  coal  business,  but  found 
time  to  study  law,  and  after  taking  a  course  in  the  Chi- 
cago College  of  Law,  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1893. 
In  1897  Mr.  O'Gara  established  the  copartnership  of 
O'Gara,  King  &  Co.,  the  members  of  the  firm  being 
T.  J.  O'Gara,  John  King  and  William  Lorimer.  In 
1899  Mr.  O'Gara  bought  out  his  partners  and  has  since 
been  alone  in  the  business.  Since  that  time  Mr.  O'Gara 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


205 


has  acquired  extensive  mining  properties  in  West  Vir- 
ginia, Ohio,  Illinois  and  Indiana,  and  built  up  a  large 
business. 

O'Gara,  King  &  Company,  or  rather  T.  J.  O'Gara, 
own  and  control  the  following  coal  mining  corporations : 
Green  Ridge  Mining  Company  of  Green  Ridge,  Illi- 
nois; Jefferson  Mining  Company  of  Springfield,  Illinois; 
Summit  Coal  &  Mining  Company  of  Summit,  Indiana ; 
Vivian  Coal  Mining  Company  of  Jasonville,  Indiana; 
Lincoln  Coal  Mining  Company  of  Clinton,  Indi- 
ana; Staunton  Mining  Company  of  Staunton,  Indiana; 
O'Gara  Coal  Mining  Company  of  Wolf  Summit,  West 
Virginia;  Harrisburg-Big  Muddy  Mining  Company  of 
Harrisburg,  Illinois ;  Chicago-Springfield  Coal  Company 
of  Springfield,  Illinois;  Imperial  Mining  Company  of 
Cambridge,  Ohio ;  United  States  Coal  Company  of  Chi- 
cago, Illinois. 

These  companies  comprise  twelve  modern  mining 
plants,  and  produce  3,000,000  tons  of  coal  annually. 
Mr.  O'Gara  has,  also,  obtained  control  of  all  the  mines 
in  Saline  County,  Illinois,  fifteen  in  number,  and  over 
75,000  acres  of  coal  lands  adjoining,  giving  him  control 
of  the  best  bituminous  coal  fieVl  west  of  Pittsbursr. 


THOMAS  J.  O'GARA. 

Mr.  O'Gara's  latest  and  greatest  exploit  in  the  coal 
business  is  the  organization  of  the  O'Gara  Coal  Com- 
pany, with  a  capital  stock  of  $6,000,000.  He  controls 
this  large  corporation  and  is  its  president  and  general 
manager.  The  control  of  the  O'Gara  Coal  Company, 
with  the  mines  already  owned  by  Mr.  O'Gara,  gives 
him  twenty-seven  mines,  all  in  operation,  and  having  a 


capacity  of  7,000,000  tons  a  year.  His  latest  enterprise 
places  Mr.  O'Gara  in  the  ranks  of  the  leading  coal  mine 
owners  and  operators  in  the  Nation. 

James  McDonald  was  born  at  Lincoln,  England,  July 
21,  1865,  the  son  of  John  and  Elizabeth  (Halliday) 
McDonald.  Mr.  McDonald  was  educated  at  the  Lin- 


JAMES  MCDONALD. 

coin  Grammar  School,  the  alma  mater  of  so  many 
famous  Englishmen.  His  scholastic  career  culminated 
in  1881  when  he  won  the  degree  of  A.  A.  (Associate  of 
Arts)  from  the  ancient  University  of  Oxford. 

In  1882  Mr.  McDonald  determined  to  follow  Berke- 
ley's famous  admonition  and  "come  west."  Attracted 
by  the  opportunities  for  young  men  in  Chicago  he 
came  in  the  fall  of  that  year.  In  1883  he  identified 
himself  with  the  Chicago,  Wilmington  &  Vermillion 
Coal  Company  as  general  accountant.  Later  he  took 
charge  of  the  company's  jobbing  department,  and  for 
several  years  acted  as  general  sales  agent.  In  April, 
1903,  Mr.  McDonald  organized  the  Interstate  Coal  & 
Coke  Company  of  Illinois,  with  large  interests  in 
Indiana,  Illinois,  and  Ohio  coal  fields.  Associated  with 
Mr.  McDonald  is  William  Job,  a  large  Ohio  and 
Indiana  operator.  Mr.  McDonald  is  also  secretary  and 
general  manager  of  the  Mammoth  Vein  Coal  Company 
in  Sullivan  County,  Indiana,  of  which  company  Mr. 
Job  is  president.  Mr.  McDonald  is  also  secretary  of 
Job's  Ohio  Hocking  Coal  Company,  with  large  mines 
in  Perry  County,  Ohio.  Mr.  McDonald  was  natural- 
ized in  1886,  and  has  voted  the  Republican  ticket  ever 
since.  He  takes  a  great  interest  in  the  politics  of  his 


206 


THE   CITY   OF   CHICAGO. 


adopted  country,  but  has  never  seen  fit  to  identify  him- 
self with  any  political  organization. 

Mr.  McDonald  was  married  in  1891  to  Miss  Flor- 
ence R.  Lemmon  and  has  a  son  and  a  daughter,  Paul 
A.,  and  Bessie  Mae  McDonald.  The  son  Paul  is  at 
present  attending  the  Lake  Forest  Academy  and  as  he 
has  already  evinced  a  decided  taste  for  business  is  ex- 
pected to  follow  in  the  father's  footsteps.  Mr.  McDon- 
ald attributes  his  success  in  business  to  the  fact  that  all 
through  his  career  he  has  insisted  upon  the  faithful  per- 
formance of  all  contracts.  In  coal  circles  Mr.'  Mc- 
Donald's word  is  as  good  as  his  bond.  Hence  his  envi- 
able reputation  among  the  representative  men  of  the 
Middle  West. 

Robert  R.  Hammond,  president  of  the  Dering 
Coal  Company  of  Chicago,  and  formerly  second  vice- 
president  and  general  manager  of  the  Chicago  & 


ROBERT   R.    HAMMOND. 

Eastern  Illinois  Railroad  Co.,  is  a  native  of  Iowa.  He 
was  born  at  Ottumwa,  February  14,  1857.  At  nineteen 
he  entered  the  service  of  the  Burlington  Railroad  Co.  as 
agent  and  operator.  He  left  the  Burlington  in  1881, 
going  to  Kansas  City  for  the  Kansas  City,  Fort  Scott  & 
Memphis  (now  a  part  of  the  Frisco  system).  His  pro- 
motion in  the  road's  service  was  rapid.  In  turn  he 
became  train  dispatcher,  chief  train  dispatcher,  division 
superintendent  and  general  superintendent,  holding  the 
latter  post  after  the  road  had  been  merged  with 
the  Frisco.  He  was  appointed  superintendent  of  the 
maintenance  for  the  Frisco  in  August,  1901,  and  the 
following  year  he  joined  the  "Katy"  (Missouri,  Kansas 


&  Texas-)  forces,  becoming  assistant  general  manager. 
As  general  manager  of  the  Chicago  &  Eastern  Illinois 
he  came  to  Chicago  in  January,  1903.  At  this  time  the 
road  was  a  part  of  the  Frisco  system,  and  in  April,  1904, 
he  was  transferred  to  St.  Louis,  having  been  elected 
second  vice-president  of  the  entire  system,  with  5,000 
miles  of  trackage  under  his  jurisdiction.  He  returned  to 
•  Chicago  last  fall  to  become  second  vice-president  and 
general  manager  of  all  the  Frisco  lines  east  of  the 
Mississippi,  which  embraced  the  management  of  the 
Chicago  &  Eastern  Illinois,  the  Evansville  &  Terre 
Haute  and  the  Evansville  &  Indianapolis  roads. 

His  official  duties  put  him  in  close  contact  with 
the  coal  trade,  as  the  volume  of  coal  shipments  over 
these  lines  is  enormous.  Mr.  Hammond  developed 
the  system  to  a  high  degree  of  efficiency,  which  proved 
beneficial  both  to  the  Frisco  system  and  the  immense 
coal  interests  of  the  West.  In  March,  1905,  he  severed 
all  connection  with  the  railway  service  and  became 
president  of  the  Dering  Coal  Company,  the  largest 
coal  concern  west  of  Pittsburg.  The  Dering  Com- 
pany, which  has  its  offices  in  the  Old  Colony  building, 
is  a  consolidation  of  six  different  concerns,  of  which 
the  Crescent  Coal  &  Mining  Company  and  the  West- 
ville  Coal  Company  were  the  largest.  The  company 
operates  fifteen  properties  in  Sullivan,  Vigo  and  Ver- 
milion counties,  Indiana,  and  Vermilion  and  Franklin 
counties,  Illinois.  Among  these  are  some  of  the  most 
valuable  coal  properties  in  the  West.  The  company 
conducts  both  a  wholesale  and  retail  business,  the  latter 
having  been  instituted  but  recently.  J.  K.  Dering,  for- 
merly president  of  the  J.  K.  Dering  Coal  Company, 
now  a  part  of  the  big  concern,  is  vice-president. 

Mr.  Hammond,  in  addition  to  his  affiliation  with 
the  principal  coal  trade  organizations,  belongs  to  some 
of  the  leading  clubs  here. 

Col.  A.  L.  Sweet  is  president  of  the  Chicago,  Wil- 
mington &  Vermillion  Coal  Company,  one  of  the  oldest 
and  largest  concerns  in  the  state.  Few  men  have  con- 
tributed more  towards  the  development  of  the  immense 
coal  interests  of  the  West.  Colonel  Sweet  is  a  native  of 
Illinois.  He  was  born  in  Jacksonville,  August  21,  1831. 
His  father,  the  Rev.  Joel  Sweet,  was  one  of  the  pioneers 
of  the  Baptist  clergy  in  the  state.  Mr.  Sweet's  first 
business  experience  was  in  the  commission  line,  in  St. 
Louis,  but  he  shortly  afterwards  became  an  agent  for 
the  Rock  Island  Railroad  at  La  Salle,  Illinois. 

His  first  association  with  the  coal  trade  dates  from 
1865,  when  he  secured  a  situation  with  E.  D.  Taylor  & 
Son  of  Chicago,  in  the  capacity  of  general  salesman. 
Three  years  later  he  accepted  a  similar  position  with  the 
Chicago  &  Wilmington  Company.  His  promotion  in 
their  employ  was  rapid,  and  he  was  made  superintend- 
ent of  the  company  in  1870.  When,  in  1872,  the  Chi- 


THE    CITY    OF   CHICAGO. 


20? 


cago  &  Wilmington  and  the  Vermillion  companies  were 
consolidated,  Col.  Sweet  was  elected  secretary  and 
general  manager  of  the  new  company,  known  to  this 
day  as  the  Chicago,  Wilmington  &  Vermillion  Coal 
Company.  In  1890  he  was  elected  president,  in  which 
capacity  he  has  served  ever  since.  Maj.  T.  A.  Lemmon 
is  the  company's  secretary  and  treasurer. 

The  Chicago,  Wilmington  &  Vermillion  Coal  Com- 
pany, whose  general  offices  are  in  the  Old  Colony  build- 
ing, ranks  as  one  of  the  largest  coal  producers  in  the 
state,  the  output  of  its  properties  at  Thayer,  South 
Wilmington  and  Streator  for  1904  being  1,250,000  tons. 
The  mine  at  Thayer,  Sangamon  County,  which  yields 
more  than  its  share  of  the  total  output,  is  a  wonder.  The 
development  of  this  property  has  been  remarkably 
rapid.  The  first  shaft  was  sunk  in  June,  1900,  and  by 
the  following  January  the  mine  produced  250  tons  a 


COL.    A.    L.    SWEET. 

day.  By  December,  1901,  the  mine's  daily  capacity  was 
2,000  tons,  which  average  it  has  since  maintained.  The 
plant  is  one  of  the  newest  and  best  equipped  in  the 
state. 

T.  A.  Lemmon,  secretary  of  the  Chicago,  Wilming- 
ton &  Vermillion  Coal  Company  and  one  of  the  leading 
coal  men  of  the  West,  was  born  at  New  Albany,  Indiana, 
April  1 6,  1841.  His  parents  were  Michael  and  Martha 
(Griffin)  Lemmon,  his  mother  being  a  grandniece  of 
Thomas  Jefferson.  Young  Lemmon  obtained  his 
schooling  in  his  native  town.  Shortly  after  graduating, 
in  1861,  he  enlisted  in  the  Fifth  Ohio  Cavalry,  fighting 
at  Shiloh  and  several  other  large  battles.  Throughout 


the  war  he  was  attached  to  the  Fifteenth  Army  Corps  of 
the  Army  of  the  Tennessee.  After  being  mustered  out, 
in  1866,  he  came  to  Chicago,  entering  the  employ  of 
E.  D.  Taylor  &  Son,  coal  dealers  on  Market  street. 
Col.  A.  L.  Sweet,  president  of  the  Chicago,  Wilmington 


T.  A.  LEMMON. 

&  Vermillion,  secured  his  start  in  the  coal  business  with 
the  same  people.  In  1868  Mr.  Lemmon  established  a 
business  of  his  own,  but  the  fire  of  1871  wiped  it 
out.  After  serving  in  several  capacities  he  became  sec- 
retary and  treasurer  of  the  Chicago  &  Wilmington  Coal 
Company,  in  1887. 

Mr.  Lemmon  married  Miss  Sara  C.  Berry  of  New 
Albany,  Indiana,  in  1865.  He  has  a  family  of  two  sons 
and  a  daughter,  Mrs.  James  McDonald  of  this  city. 
Both  sons  are  engaged  in  the  coal  business. 

The   La  Salle   County   Carbon    Coal   Company  was 

organized  in  1883  and  is  one  of  the  most  prominent 
operative  concerns  in  the  La  Salle  County  field.  Its 
large  properties  in  Illinois  produce  a  high  grade  of  fuel 
coal,  which  is  shipped  to  Chicago  and  other  distributing 
points  in  immense  quantities.  The  offices  of  the  com- 
pany are  in  the  Old  Colony  building. 

Franklin  O.  Wyatt,  manager  and  secretary  of  the 
La  Salle  County  Carbon  Coal  Company,  is  one  of  the 
best  known  coal  operators  in  the  West.  He  was  born 
at  Norwich,  Vermont,  June  12,  1838,  the  son  of  Joseph 
P.  and  Abigail  Wyatt.  He  was  educated  in  the  public 
schools  and  Asbury  University,  now  DePauw  Uni- 
versity, at  Greencastle,  Indiana.  He  began  his  business 
life  as  a  civil  engineer  and  was  engaged  in  railway  con- 


208 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


struction  and  in  the  operation  of  railways  from  1867  to 
1885.  Toward  the  close  of  this  period  he  became  inter- 
ested in  a  number  of  coal  properties,  and  in  1884  be- 
came manager  of  the  La  Salle  company. 

He  was  married  at  Honesdale,  Pennsylvania,  in  1872, 
to  Miss  Marian  L.  Purely.  They  have  three  daughters, 
Edith  F.,  Faith  and  Phyllis  M.  The  family  residence  is 
at  1761  Sheridan  road. 

The  Standard  Washed  Coal  Company,  in  the  short 
time  since  it  was  organized,  April  i,  1901,  has  grown 
to  be  one  of  the  largest  of  the  many  fuel  companies 
doing  business  in  Chicago.  Though  the  corporation  is 
comparatively  new  to  the  Chicago  field,  its  executive 


W.    T.    DELIHANT. 

officers  have  had  many  years'  experience  in  the  local 
trade. 

The  concern  was  organized  and  incorporated  by 
W.  T.  Delihant,  now  its  president,  and  M.  C.  O'Donnell, 
its  present  secretary.  Shortly  after  incorporation  the 
Clear  Lake  and  Spaulding  mines  in  the  Springfield  dis- 
trict were  acquired  by  the  company.  Later  the  Car- 
tersville  mine  in  the  district  of  that  name  also  came  under 
the  same  control.  The  entire  output  of  the  company 
now  comes  from  these  three  properties. 

The  product  of  these  mines  is  such  that  it  is  said  to 
improve  to  a  large  degree  by  the  process  of  washing. 
The  popularity  of  the  product  is  proven  by  the  fact  that 
the  company  ranks  second  among  Chicago's  coal  con- 
cerns in  wagon  business,  handling  about  750,000  tons 
per  year. 

The  Standard  Washed  Coal  Company  specializes  in 
supplying  coal  in  car-load  lots,  and  for  steam  purposes, 


such  as  for  office  buildings.  Its  car  business  is  exten- 
sive in  Dakota,  Minnesota,  Iowa  and  Nebraska.  In  Chi- 
cago it  has  coal  yards  at  the  following  places :  On  the 
Illinois  Central  railroad  at  South  Water  street,  Twenty- 
sixth  street,  and  Fifty-first  street ;  on  the  Chicago,  Bur- 
lington &  Quincy  railroad  at  Twenty-first  and  Jefferson 
streets,  and  on  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul 
railroad  at  Roscoe  street  and  Racine  avenue. 

The  company  was  incorporated  in  1901,  with  a 
capital  stock  of  $30,000,  and  an  office  consisting  of 
one  room  in  the  Fisher  building.  The  following  year 
the  stock  was  increased  to  $70,000,  and  the  concern 
moved  to  the  Plymouth  building.  Last  year  it  took 
possession  of  the  entire  third  floor  of  the  Plymouth 
building,  and  this  spring  increased  its  capital  stock  to 
$200,000. 

Closely  associated  with  the  Standard  Washed  Coal 
Company  is  the  Commercial  Coal  &  Coke  Company. 
It  was  organized  in  April  of  1904,  with  a  capital  stock 
of  $30,000.  The  latter  company  confines  itself  exclu- 
sively to  the  retail  trade,  and  does  not  encroach  on  the 
field  of  the  older  corporation.  The  Commercial  com- 
pany secures  its  coal  from  the  Chicago  &  Eastern 
Illinois  Railroad,  and  has  its  yards  at  Twenty-second  and 
Jefferson  streets. 

The  officers  of  the  two  companies  at  present  are : 
W.  T.  Delihant,  president;  T.  J.  Hudson,  Jr.,  vice-pres- 
dent;  M.  C.  O'Donnell,  secretary,  and  Albert  Tebo, 
treasurer.  E.  W.  McCullough  is  mine  manager  for  the 
Standard  Washed  Coal  Company,  and  George  W.  Ford 
occupies  a  similar  position  for  the  Commercial  Coal  & 
Coke  Company. 

President  Delihant  started  in  the  coal  business  in 
1 88 1,  with  W.  P.  Rend  &  Company.  Later  he  was 
with  the  Peabody  Coal  Company  for  ten  years,  the 
Edwin  F.  Daniels  Company  for  five  years,  the  F.  G. 
Hartwell  Company,  and  many  other  .larger  coal  com- 
panies in  Chicago.  He  was  born  in  Missouri,  March  i, 
1862,  and  came  to  Chicago  in  1864.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Illinois  Athletic  Club  and  the  Royal  Arcanum. 

Vice-President  Hudson  is  a  son  of  T.  J.  Hudson,  Sr., 
the  general  traffic  manager  of  the  Illinois  Central  Rail- 
road. He  entered  the  coal  business  in  1894  with  the 
Independent  Fuel  Company,  and  in  the  fall  of  1903 
came  to  the  Standard  Washed  Coal  Company. 

Secretary  O'Donnell  and  Treasurer  Tebo  have  both 
been  in  the  coal  business  for  the  better  part  of  the  past 
twenty  years.  They  have  worked  with  the  same  firms 
as  Mr.  Delihant,  and  have  been  with  the  Standard 
Washed  Coal  Company  since  its  organization.  Mr. 
McCullough  has  spent  his  life  in  the  Illinois  mining 
fields  and  is  considered  one  of  the  best  mining  managers 
in  the  country. 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


209 


Wells  Brothers  Company.  The  building  and  con- 
tracting firm  of  Wells  Brothers  Company  had  its  incep- 
tion, strictly  speaking,  directly  following  the  Chicago 
fire  in  1871.  Warren  A.  Wells,  founder  of  the  busi- 
ness, had  come  here  from  St.  Paul  to  engage  in  some 
manufacturing  enterprise.  The  fire  occurred  shortly 
afterwards  and  Mr.  Wells,  seeing  his  opportunity,  estab- 
lished a  contracting  and  mason  business  with  his  eldest 
son,  Addison  E.  From  the  outset  the  concern  kept 
abreast  of  the  latest  methods  in  construction,  to  which 
fact  they  attribute  their  success. 

The  bi-partnership  was  retained  until  1885,  when 
Fred  A.  Wells  was  admitted  into  the  business ;  the  cap- 
tion of  the  firm  these  years  was  W.  A.  &  A.  E.  Wells. 
The  elder  Mr.  Wells  died  in  October,  1900,  and  two 
years  later  the  business  was  incorporated  under  the 
style  of  Wells  Brothers  Company.  The  present  officers 
of  the  corporation  are  Addison  E.  Wells,  president ; 
Fred  A.  Wells,  vice-president  and  treasurer ;  and  W.  G. 
Luce,  secretary. 

Among  the  buildings  erected  by  Wells  Brothers 
Company  and  W.  A.  &  A.  E.  Wells  are  the  Stude- 
baker,  Fine  Arts,  Studebaker  Repository,  Cable  build- 
ing, McClure  building,  Republic  and  Chicago  Savings 


ADDISON   E.  WELLS. 

Bank  buildings,  all  "in  Chicago ;  the  Mississippi  State 
Capitol  at  Jackson,  Mississippi ;  Stock  Exchange  at 
Philadelphia,  and  Belvidere  Hotel,  Baltimore.  One 
of  their  earliest  jobs  was  the  erection  of  the  old  Inter- 
State  and  Industrial  Exposition  building  on  the  Lake 
Front,  in  1872.  The  company  have  the  following  build- 
ings under  way :  Baltimore  &  Ohio  office  building  at 

14 


Baltimore,  the  $1,000,000  Onondagua  court  house  at 
Syracuse,  New  York,  the  new  Mandel  building,  Chi- 
cago, and  others. 

Addison  E.  Wells,  president,  is  a  native  of  Janes- 
ville,  Wisconsin,  where  he  was  born  February  4,  1856. 
After  completing  his  high  school  education  he  entered 
business  with  his  father.  Fred  A.  Wells  was  born 


FRED    A.    WELLS. 

July  26,  1859,  at  Mitchell,  Iowa.  He  went  through 
the  public  schools  and  graduated  from  high  school  in 
1877.  He  was  employed  by  Fowler  Brothers  and 
W.  J.  Quan  &  Company,  packers  at  the  Union  Stock 
Yards,  prior  to  his  association  with  the  contracting 
business.  There  is  one  other  son,  Judd  E.  Wells,  who 
is  vice-president  of  Wells  Brothers  Company  of  New 
York,  contractors. 

MacArthur  Bros.  Company.  The  well-known  con- 
tracting firm  of  MacArthur  Bros.  Company  was  estab- 
lished in  New  York  State  in  1860  by  Archibald  Mac- 
Arthur,  together  with  his  two  brothers,  James  and  Wil- 
liam, and  until  1893  was  known  under  the  name  of 
MacArthur  Bros.  Up  to  1884  its  specialty  was  the 
construction  of  railroads  and  canals,  but  since  then  the 
firm  has  undertaken  successfully  all  kinds  of  construc- 
tion work,  including  that  of  railroads,  canals,  streets, 
sewers  and  all  kinds  of  other  heavy  work  of  this 
nature,  as  well  as  the  erection  of  buildings  and 
bridges  and  the  laying  of  their  foundations.  The  firm 
located  in  Chicago  in  1874,  and  since  that  time, 
has  done  a  great  deal  of  important  work  through- 
out the  West  and  Northwest,  although  its  field  of 
operations  is  by  no  means  limited  to  this  portion  of  the 


L'10 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


country.  In  the  line  of  railroad  construction,  which  they 
have  engaged  in  since  their  establishment  here  thirty 
years  ago,  may  be  mentioned  the  building  of  the  larger 
portion  of  the  heavy  work  of  the  Santa  Fe  extension 
from  Chicago  to  Kansas  City ;  the  Chicago,  Burlington 
&  Ouincy  extension  to  St.  Paul ;  many  of  the  smaller 
extensions  of  the  Manitoba  Railroad  in  Minnesota,  and 
similar  work  for  the  Chicago  Great  Western  Railroad. 
In  1891  and  1892  seventy-five  miles  of  road  for  the  Chi- 
cago &  Eastern  Illinois  Railroad  were  constructed  in  the 
central  part  of  the  state,  and  there  has  also  been  con- 
siderable work  of  a  like  nature  done  for  the  Illinois  Cen- 
tral Railroad.  This  company  have  had  contracts  for  con- 
struction with  nearly  all  the  railroads  coming  into  Chi- 
cago. Between  1884  and  1890  the  company  had  an  es- 
tablished office  in  St.  Paul,  and  during  that  time  com- 
pleted over  half  of  all  the  street  improvements  then 
being  made  in  that  city,  and  between  1886  and  1890 
about  a  million  dollars  of  street  work  was  also  done  for 
the  city  of  Duluth.  For  the  World's  Columbian  Expo- 
sition the  firm  executed  contract  No.  i,  which  included  a 
large  amount  of  dredging  and  the  grading  of  the  entire 
grounds.  They  also  erected  the  Horticultural  building, 
the  Dairy  building,  the  police  station,  the  docking  on 
the  lagoons  and  numerous  smaller  buildings.  They  had 
an  important  part  in  digging  the  Drainage  canal,  doing 
all  the  work  on  Section  2  and  Section  4  and  having 
joint  contracts  for  portions  of  Sections  N  and  O. 

Other  contracts  completed  by  the  firm  include  the 
construction  of  the  foundation  for  the  new  Postoffice 
building  of  this  city  and  the  building  of  two  immense 
locks  for  the  government  on  the  Cumberland  River, 
near  Nashville,  Tennessee. 

In  1903  they  were  doing  contract  work  in  thirteen 
states,  extending  from  Massachusetts  to  Oklahoma,  hav- 
ing twenty-eight  different  contracts  under  execution  at 
one  time.  The  company  have  at  this  time  (1905)  a  large 
contract  with  the  United  States  Government  for  exca- 
vating a  channel  through  the  rock  at  the  west  side  of 
Neebish  Island,  in  St.  Mary's  River,  near  Sault  Ste. 
Marie,  amounting  to  nearly  $3,000,000;  also  a  contract 
with  the  city  of  New  York  for  the  construction  of  a 
masonry  dam  on  the  Croton  water  system,  amounting 
to  about  $1,500,000,  also  several  large  railroad  contracts 
under  execution  at  this  time.  They  have  just  completed 
the  Wachusett  dam  for  impounding  water  for  the  city 
of  Boston,  which  dam  contains  about  300.000  cubic 
yards  of  stone  masonry. 

In  1893,  shortly  after  the  death  of  James  Mac- 
Arthur,  the  business  was  incorporated  under  the  name 
of  Mac  Arthur  Bros.  Company  and  in  1903  was 
incorporated  under  the  laws  of  New  Jersey  as  Mac- 
Arthur  Bros.  Company.  The  present  officers  of  Mac- 
Arthur  Bros.  Company  are :  Archibald  MacArthur. 


president :  Arthur  F.  MacArthur,  vice-president  and 
general  manager;  John  R.  MacArthur,  secretary  and 
treasurer. 

Archibald  MacArthur,  president  of  the  firm  of  Mac- 
Arthur  Bros.  Company,  w'as  born  at  Mount  Morris,  N. 
Y.,  in  1834.  His  father  was  a  prominent  contractor  in 
New  York  State  at  that  time,  and  from  him  his  son 
gained  his  first  knowledge  of  the  contracting  business ; 
his  education  was  academic,  in  which  he  pursued  a 
course  of  civil  engineering,  but  never  followed  civil 
engineering  as  .a  profession. 

At  that  time  the  contracting  business  was  far  differ- 
ent from  what  it  is  now ;  without  definite  headquarters, 
contractors  traveled  from  place  to  place,  wherever  a 


ARCHIBALD  MAcARTHUR. 

piece  of  work  could  be  secured ;  these  temporary  loca- 
tions were  generally  retained  only  so  long  as  was  neces- 
sary to  complete  the  contract.  In  this  rather  itinerant 
mode  of  life,  contractors  saw  a  considerable  portion  of 
the  world.  Mr.  MacArthur  traveled  through  all  of  the 
United  States  and  Canada,  Mexico,  Central  America, 
South  America,  West  Indies  and  the  principal  countries 
of  Europe. 

At  the  age  of  twenty-one,  together  with  his  brothers, 
James  and  William,  he  became  one  of  the  firm  of  Mac- 
Arthur  Bros.,  which,  for  nearly  a  quarter  of  a  century, 
engaged  successfully  in  business,  with  its  headquarters 
in  New  York  State ;  its  location  being  removed  to  Chi- 
cago in  1873. 

Arthur  f.  MacArthur,  vice-president  and  general 
manager  of  MacArthur  Bros.  Company,  was  born  at 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


211 


Oramel.  New  York,  October  24,  1860.     His  parents  are 
Archibald  and  Keturah  (Pratt)  MacArthur. 

He  came  to  Chicago  in  1874  and  prepared  for  a  col- 
legiate course  at  the  Chicago  Academy,  entering  Har- 
vard in  the  fall  of  1878,  from  which  institution  he  was 
graduated  with  the  class  of  '82,  receiving  the  degree  of 
A.  B.  He  then  returned  to  Chicago  and  for  the  follow- 


ARTHUR  F.   MACARTHUR. 

ing  two  years  was  connected  with  the  Chicago  yard  of 
The  W.  &  A.  MacArthur  Lumber  Company  of  Cheboy- 
gan,  Michigan.  In  1884  he  moved  to  St.  Paul,  Minne- 
sota, to  take  charge  of  the  large  street  contracts  under 
execution  for  the  city  of  St.  Paul  by  the  MacArthur 
Bros.  Company,  contractors,  but  returned  to  Chicago  in 
1890  in  order  to  take  charge  of  the  work  being  done  by 
them  in  preparing  the  grounds  of  Jackson  Park  for  the 
World's  Fair.  He  was  admitted  to  the  firm  in  1887, 
and  in  1893  became  its  treasurer. 

Mr.  MacArthur  has  traveled  quite  extensively.  In 
1888  he  made  a  trip  through  Egypt,  the  Holy  Land  and 
continental  Europe,  and  in  the  winter  of  1889  he  spent 
some  months  in  visiting  the  countries  of  South  Amer- 
ica. He  was  married  in  1889  to  Miss  Mary  S.  Barnum, 
daughter  of  Mr.  David  Barnum  of  New  York  City. 

John  Meiggs  Ewen,  engineer  and  builder,  vice- 
president  of  the  Thompson-Starrett  Company,  was  born 
at  Newtown.  New  York,  September  3,  1859.  His  father. 
Warren  Ewen,  was  for  many  years  chief  engineer  of  con- 
struction for  the  railroads  in  Chili  and  Peru,  South 
America,  among  them  the  famous  railroad  in  the  clouds 
to  Oroya.  Young  Ewen  spent  his  boyhood  days  in 


South  America  with  his  father,  but  at  the  age  of  twelve 
was  sent  to  the  Russell  Military  Academy  at  New- 
Haven,  Connecticut,  and  then  to  the  Stevens  Institute 
of  Technology,  from  which  he  was  graduated  in  1880. 

Shortly  afterward  he  was  engaged  as  engineer  in 
charge  of  construction  for  the  J.  B.  &  J.  M.  Cornell 
Iron  Works  at  New  York,  where  he  had  charge  of  the 
erection  of  many  buildings  and  also  of  the  elevated 
roads  to  Brooklyn.  He  next  joined  the  forces  of  W. 
L.  B.  Jenney,  the  Chicago'  architect,  going  from  there 
to  Burnham  &  Root,  where  he  became  general  manager. 
He  left  them  in  1889  to  organize  the  original  Fuller 
Company  with  George  A.  Fuller.  He  was  vice-presi- 
dent and  general  manager  for  years.  He  went  to  Lon- 
don for  the  purpose  of  introducing  American  construc- 
tion methods,  but  abandoned  the  idea  and  returned  to 
this  country.  After  acting  as  consulting  engineer  for 
the  George  A.  Fuller  Company  until  1903,  he  became 
vice-president  and  western  representative  of  the 
Thompson-Starrett  Company,  the  largest  builders  in  the 
country,  which  position  he  now  holds. 

Mr.  Ewen  is  a  member  of  the  American  Society  of 
Civil  Engineers,  the  American  Society  of  Mechanical 


JOHN    MEIGGS    EWEN. 

Engineers  and  the  Western  Society  of  Engineers.  Dur- 
ing the  career  of  twenty-four  years  he  has  figured  in  the 
construction  of  some  of  the  largest  office  buildings  in 
the  country,  many  of  them  in  Chicago.  He  lias  recently 
been  appointed  to  serve  on  the  county  commissioners' 
committee  to  select  plans  for  the  new  Cook  County 
court  house.  He  is  also  one  of  the  committee  of  engi- 
neers appointed  by  the  commissioner  of  Public  Works  to 


212 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


to  report  upon  the  construction  of  the  Illinois  Telephone 
Company's  subway  of  this  city.  The  Thompson-Starrett 
Company  is  now  erecting  the  new  Wanamaker  store  in 
Philadelphia,  the  Union  Station  at  Washington,  the 
Rockefeller  building  in  Cleveland,  the  new  Northern 
Trust  Bank  building  of  this  city,  and  the  great  plant  for 
Sears,  Roebuck  &  Company.  They  recently  completed 
the  Heyworth  building  and  the  Thomas  Orchestra 
building,  both  in  Chicago,  the  Kuhn-Loeb,  Empire- 
Realty,  Aeolin,  Navarre  Hotel,  Marie  Antoinette  and 
St.  Regis  hotel  buildings  in  New  York,  the  Touraine  and 
Title  Guarantee  and  Trust  buildings  in  Brooklyn,  the 
Penn  building  at  Philadelphia,  the  Keystone  Bank  at 
Pittsburg,  the  Union  Bank  in  Winnipeg,  Canada,  and 
others,  ranging  from  twelve  to  twenty  stories  in  height. 
The  Thompson-Starrett  Company  have  offices  in  New 
York,  Chicago  (Railway  Exchange  building),  Boston, 
Philadelphia,  Baltimore,  Washington,  St.  Louis,  Cleve- 
land, Pittsburg,  Toronto  and  Winnipeg. 

Henry  W.  Schlueter,  well  known  as  a  contractor  and 
builder,  was  born  at  Unterluebbe,  Westphalia,  Ger- 
many, on  February  22,  1861.  He  spent  his  boyhood 
days  on  his  father's  farm.  After  receiving  an  element- 
ary education  at  the  village  school  he  entered  the 
gymnasium  at  the  age  of  fourteen,  studying  architect- 
ural drawing,  engineering  and  kindred  technical 
branches.  He  graduated  in  1880  and  came  to  America 
in  October  of  the  same  year. 

Finding  his  way  to  Wisconsin,  he  obtained  employ- 
ment in  a  lumber  camp  and  sawmill  in  the  northern 
part  of  the  state,  and  subsequently  secured  a  posi- 
tion as  estimator  and  draughtsman  for  a  large  sash 
and  door  factory.  After  learning  the  business  he  estab- 
lished a  factory  of  his  own  at  Topeka,  Kansas.  The 
following  year  the  mill  burned  to  the  ground  and  the 
business  was  abandoned.  In  June,  1891,  he  came  to 
Chicago,  attracted  by  the  World's  Fair,  and  organized 
the  Congress  Construction  Company,  of  which  he  was 
the  vice-president  and  secretary  and  Gustav  Ehrhardt 
the  president. 

Mr.  Schlueter  established  in  1898  an  independent 
contracting  and  building  business,  the  offices  of  which 
have  been  in  the  Marquette  building  for  a  number 
of  years. 

At  the  St.  Louis  Exposition  he  erected  the  Trans- 
portation building,  the  Fraternal  Temple,  the  Cali- 
fornia, Massachusetts  and  Wisconsin  State  buildings, 
the  Government  Indian  school,  the  foundation  for  the 
Ferris  Wheel,  and  the  foundations  for  the  installation 
and  testing  plants  for  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  in  the 
Transportation  building,  for  testing  the  speed  and 
power  of  locomotives.  In  addition  to  these,  Mr. 
Schlueter  has  erected  numerous  other  large  structures, 
among  them  the  Bartlett  Gvmnasium  at  the  University 


of  Chicago,  the  Sears,  Roebuck  &  Co.  building,  the 
court  house  at  Des  Moines,  Iowa,  where  he  had  his  own 
sawmill  and  stone  yards  on  the  ground,  and  many 
others.  He  is  now  engaged  on  several  important  jobs 
in  Iowa,  the  Deaf  and  Dumb  school  at  Council  Bluffs, 
the  Hall  of  History  at  Des  Moines,  and  three  buildings 


HENRY     W.     SCHLUETER. 

at  the  Iowa  State  College  at  Ames,  all  of  the  above 
being  state  institutions. 

Mr.  Schlueter  was  married  to  Miss  Minnie  Meyers 
of  Green  Bay,  Wisconsin,  and  his  two  sons,  Walter  M. 
and  Christian  H.,  and  one  daughter,  Lillian.  His  eldest 
son,  Walter  M.,  is  now  superintending  the  work  at 
Council  Bluffs.  Mr.  Schlueter  is  a  member  of  the 
Automobile  Club  and  the  New  Illinois  Athletic  Club, 
besides  being  affiliated  with  a  number  of  trade  organi- 
zations. 

Robert  W.  Hunt  &  Co.  The  engineering  and  in- 
specting firm  of  Robert  W.  Hunt  &  Co.,  with  their 
general  offices  in  The  Rookery,  Chicago,  and  branch 
offices  in  New  York,  Pittsburg  and  London,  England, 
was  established  in  April,  1888.  The  firm  is  composed 
of  the  following  gentlemen :  Robert  W.  Hunt,  John  J. 
Cone,  A.  W.  Fiero,  James  C.  Hallsted  and  D.  W.  Mc- 
Naugher. 

The  principal  business  of  the  firm  is  the  inspection 
of  railway  materials,  such  as  rails,  splice  bars,  bolts, 
nuts,  spikes  and  cars,  also  structural  material  for  bridges 
and  buildings.  They  also  have  a  special  depart- 
ment for  the  testing  of  the  efficiency  of  engines  and 
boilers,  notably  city  waterworks  engines.  In  this  con- 
nection they  have  been  employed  by  the  city  of  Chicago 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


213 


to  supervise  the  construction  and  erection  of  the 
engines  purchased  by  it  during  the  last  few  years,  and 
in  addition  have  represented  the  city  in  the  final  duty 
tests  on  which  the  engines  were  accepted.  They  also 
represented  the  city  of  St.  Paul  in  the  same  capacity, 
and  later  the  city  of  Buffalo. 

They  have  designed  several  electric  power  stations 
and  cement  factories. 

The  investigation  and  reporting  upon  manufactur- 
ing establishments  has  become  a  very  important 
branch  of  their  business.  Some  of  the  largest  indus- 
trial concerns  in  the  United  States  have  been  reported 
upon  by  them,  and  on  such  reports  the  reorganization 
and  the  placement  of  bonds  have  been  based. 

In  connection  with  the  growing  export  trade  of 
the  United  States  in  both  metals  and  machinery,  the 
firm  has  been  employed  by  foreign  purchasers  to  super- 
vise the  execution  of  their  contracts.  This  covers  not 
only  railway  materials,  but  pumping  engines,  cars  and 
bridges. 

The  senior  member  of  the  firm,  Robert  W.  Hunt, 
was  identified  with  the  manufacture  of  Bessemer  steel 
in  America  from  its  earliest  introduction,  and  had 


ROBERT    W.    HUNT. 

charge  of  the  first  Bessemer  steel  plant  operated  in 
America,  located  at  Wyandotte,  Michigan,  and  after- 
ward the  steel  works  of  the  Cambria  Iron  Company, 
Johnstown,  Pennsylvania,  and  the  Troy  Steel  &  Iron 
Company,  Troy,  New  York.  In  fact,  the  earliest  steel 
rails  manufactured  in  this  country  on  a  commercial 
basis  were  under  his  direction,  and  it  was  based  upon 
his  long  experience  as  a  manufacturer  that  the  firm 


of  Robert  W.  Hunt  &  Co.  was  established,  and  the 
business  developed.  The  other  members  of  the  firm 
are  all  educated  engineers  and  men  who  have  had  long 
practical  experience  in  manufacturing  and  inspection, 
as  well  as  other  engineering  work. 

Mr.  Hunt  is  a  past  president  of  the  American  Insti- 
tute of  Mining  Engineers,  the  American  Society  of 
Mechanical  Engineers  and  the  Western  Society  of 
Engineers,  and  is  also  a  member  of  the  American 
Society  of  Civil  Engineers,  and  acted  as  secretary  of 
the  committee  of  that  society  which  designed  and  rec- 
ommended the  rail  sections,  which  are  now  recognized 
as  the  standard  ones  by  the  majority  of  the  railroads  of 
the  United  States.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Insti- 
tute of  Civil  Engineers  and  the  Institute  of  Mechan- 
ical Engineers  and  the  Iron  and  Steel  Institute.  Mr. 
Hunt's  specifications  for  the  manufacture  of  steel  rails 
are  recognized  as  standard  ones,  and  his  papers,  con- 
tributed to  the  several  scientific  societies  to  which  he 
belongs,  have  had  a  very  large  influence  upon  the 
development  of  the  steel  industry  of  America.  In  fact, 
he  is  recognized  as  an  authority  on  that  subject,  both  in 
this  country  and  in  Europe. 

As  necessary  to  their  business,  the  firm  have  thor- 
oughly equipped  chemical  and  physical  laboratories,  in 
which  the  assaying  of  ores  and  the  analyses  of  metals, 
oils,  paints,  etc.,  as  well  as  the  physical  testing  of  materi- 
als, are  conducted.  So  well  is  the  firm's  reputation 
established,  that  they  have  for  their  patrons  nearly  all 
the  most  prominent  railway  systems  of  the  country, 
fully  75  per  cent  of  the  rails  manufactured  in  America 
being  subject  to  their  inspection. 

Albert  W.  Fiero,  civil  engineer  and  member  of  the 
firm  of  R.  W.  Hunt  &  Co.,  was  born  in  Calhoun  County, 
Michigan,  in  June  1849.  His  parents,  P.  V.  and  Jane 
(Halliday)  Fiero,  were  early  settlers  in  that  county, 
coming  from  New  York  State  in  1836.  After  graduat- 
ing from  high  school  in  1871,  he  obtained  employment 
with  the  Grand  Trunk  Railroad,  and  the  following 
year  he  was  made  assistant  engineer  and  put  in  charge 
of  the  road's  construction  work  between  Cassopolis, 
Michigan  and  Valparaiso,  Indiana. 

He  resigned  in  1873  to.  accept  a  more  responsible 
position  with  the  Chicago  &  Illinois  Railway,  as  engi- 
neer of  construction,  with  headquarters  at  Joliet,  Illinois. 
Two  years  later  he  became  inspector  of  rails  for  the  Iron 
and  Steel  Works  of  Joliet,  whence  he  removed  to  St. 
Louis,  in  1876,  to  become  foreman  of  the  finishing 
department  of  the  Vulcan  Iron  and  Steel  Works  of  that 
city.  He  returned  to  railroad  work  in  1878,  assuming 
charge  of  the  construction  of  the  line  from  Mexico,  Mis- 
souri, to  Kansas  City,  but  he  was  subsequently  trans- 
ferred to  Joliet.  He  became  identified  with  the  R.  W. 


lil-t 


THR    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


Hunt  Company  in    1888.   of  which   firm   lie  has  since 
become  a  member. 

Mr.  Fiero  is  a  member  of  the  Western  Society  of 
Engineers  and  the  Engineers'  Club  of  New  York  City, 
the  American  Railway  Engineering  and  Maintenance  of 
Way  Association,  the  American  Institute  of  Mining 
Engineers,  and  the  Union  League  Club  of  Chicago, 
and  is  politically  a  Republican.  He  was  married  in  1881 
to  Miss  Florence  Carpenter  of  Joliet,  Illinois,  and  has 
two  children,  Emilie  Louise  and  Conro.  The  latter,  who 
was  graduated  from  Yale  University  in  June,  1904,  is 


cardinal  duty  of  a  good  citixen.  National  and  local 
elections  always  find  him  ready  to  "do  his  duty  as  God 
gives  him  to  see  his  duty.'' 


ALBERT    W.    FIERO. 

assistant  engineer  for  the  San  Pedro,  Los  Angeles  & 
Salt  Lake  Railroad  and  also  assistant  engineer  of  the 
Indiana  Harbor  Railroad. 

John  C.  McMynn,  mechanical  engineer  for  Robert 
W.  Hunt  &  Company,  was  born  January  16.  1869,  at 
Racine,  Wisconsin,  the  son  of  Colonel  John  G.  McMynn 
and  Marion  (Clark)  McMynn.  Mr.  McMynn  was  edu- 
cated at  his  father's  academy  and  at  the  University  of 
Wisconsin  (1887-88-89).  In  1890  he  was  given  the 
degree  of  B.  A.  at  Williams  College,  Massachusetts. 
He  got  his  M.  E.  and  M.  M.  E.  from  Cornell  in  1891 
and  1892  respectively. 

In  1892  Mr.  McMynn  accepted  an  offer  to  come  to 
Chicago  and  associate  himself  with  Robert  W.  Hunt  & 
Company. 

Mr.  McMynn  is  a  prominent  clubman.  He  holds 
membership  in  the  C.  A.  A.,  the  Marquette,  the  Chicago 
Yacht  and  the  Columbia  Yacht  clubs.  Politically  he  is 
a  dyed-in-the-wool  Republican.  Although  an  excep- 
tionally busy  man,  Mr.  McMynn  never  forgets  the 


JOHN    C.    McMYNN. 

Mr.  McMynn  was  married  on  January  15,  1904,  to 
Miss  Elsie  Voche  of  Chicago.  Chicago  has  many  brainy 
young  men.  but  few  of  them  who  have  been  the  archi- 
tects of  their  own  fortune  have  such  great  gifts  as  has 
young  Mr.  McMynn. 

Bion  J.  Arnold  was  fourteen  years  o!d,  when,  using  a 
magazine  picture  for  a  model,  he  constructed  the  first 
bicycle  ever  seen  in  Nebraska.  Succeeding  years  have 
trained  and  developed  the  mechanical  genius  of  the  one- 
time precocious  country  boy,  until  to-day  he  is  con- 
sidered one  of  the  leading  electrical  engineers  of  the 
world.  His  father  was  a  western  pioneer  and  a  mem- 
ber of  the  first  territorial  legislature  of  Nebraska. 
Other  ancestors  were  leaders  in  the  colonial  and  revo- 
lutionary days  of  this  country.  Joseph  Arnold  wanted 
his  son  to  follow  in  his  footsteps  and  read  law,  but  the 
successful  completion  of  the  bicycle  convinced  the 
father  that  his  son's  talents  were  not  those  of  a  barrister. 
A  locomotive  that  would  run  was  young  Arnold's  tri- 
umph in  his  eighteenth  year.  The  next  year  he  left 
home  to  come  east,  where  he  could  meet  older  engi- 
neers and  attend  school. 

At  the  present  time,  Mr.  Arnold  divides  the  week 
between  his  Chicago  and  New  York  offices.  In  Chicago 
he  is  the  consulting  engineer  for  the  city  and  upon  him 
devolves  the  burden  of  planning  a  satisfactory  munici- 
pal transportation  system  and  reorganizing  the 
$100,000,000  worth  of  traction  properties.  In  New 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


215 


York  he  is  acting'  as  consulting  engineer  for  the  New 
York  Central  and  the  Grand  Trunk  Railway  companies 
and  is  a  member  of  the  commission  that  is  designing 
and  installing-  the  $30.000.000  system  by  which  the 
New  York  Central  Railroad  will  propel  all  trains  within 
thirty  miles  of  the  Grand  Central  station  by  electricity. 

Mr.  Arnold  was  born  at  Casenovia,  near  Grand 
Rapids.  Michigan.  August  14.  1861.  The  family  moved 
to  Nebraska  where  he  attended  school  until  entering 
Hillsdale  (Michigan)  College,  which  gave  him  the 
degree  of  B.  S.  in  1884.  and  the  honorary  degree  of 
M.  Ph.  in  1889.  In  1903  his  alma  mater  conferred  on 
him  a  testimonial  diploma  in  recognition  of  his  "dis- 
tinguished learning  and  achievement  in  invention  and 
mechanical  and  electrical  engineering."  Mr.  Arnold 
also  attended  Cornell  University  and  holds  an  honorary 
degree  from  the  University  of  Nebraska.  He  was  only 
27  years  old  and  mechanical  engineer  of  the  Great 
Western  Road  when  he  resigned  the  position  to  enter  a 
post-graduate  course  at  Cornell.  Not  satisfied  with  a 
position  in  which  many  an  older  engineer  would  have 
been  contented,  he  was  willing  to  start  anew  in  order 
to  equip  himself  for  further  advance  in  his  profession. 

After  leaving  Hillsdale  College,  Mr.  Arnold's  first 
position  was  with  the  Upton  Manufacturing  Company 
of  Port  Huron.  From  there  he  went  to  the  Edward  P. 
Allis  Company  of  Milwaukee.  In  1887-1888  he  was 
mechanical  engineer  of  the  Chicago  &  Great  Western 
Railroad;  from  1888  to  1889,  general  agent  of  the 
Thomson-Houston  Electric  Company  of  St.  Louis,  and 
from  1890  to  1893,  consulting  engineer  for  the  General 
Electric  Company. 

Since  that  time  he  has  been  in  business  for  himself. 
He  designed  the  Intramural  Railway  at  the  World's 
Columbian  Exposition  and  its  equipment  was  an  inno- 
vation in  electrical  engineering.  The  electrical  plant 
of  the  Chicago  Board  of  Trade  which  is  copied  by  many 
office  buildings  where  economy  of  space  is  desired,  was 
planned  and  installed  by  him. 

The  Chicago  &  Milwaukee  Electric  Railway, 
equipped  by  him.  demonstrated  to  the  world  the  prac- 
ticability of  his  theory  of  long-distance  electrical  rail- 
roading. One  of  the  mountain  lines  of  the  Burlington 
system  was  also  equipped  by  him.  Mr.  Arnold  holds 
patents  covering  his  inventions  and  has  written  various 
technical  articles  of  value  to  his  profession. 

He  has  always  been  a  pronounced  advocate  of  the 
merits  of  the  storage  battery  and  has  probably  done 
more  than  any  other  man  to  demonstrate  and  prove  its 
efficiency  and  economy  of  operation.  So  positive  were 
his  opinions  when  he  installed  the  sub-station  rotary 
converter  storage-battery  system  for  the  Chicago  &  Mil- 
waukee Electric  Railway,  that  he  financially  guaran- 
teed the  efficiency  and  operation  of  the  entire  line.  So 
great  was  the  saving  over  previous  methods  of  opera- 


tion that  now  electric  roads  are  generally  equipped  with 
the  same  system.  His  pioneer  work  in  single-phase 
traction  has  recently  caused  another  advance  in  the  art 
of  electric  railroading  and  makes  practicable  the  electri- 
fication of  many  steam  roads.  The  problem  of  operat- 
ing the  trains  of  the  New  York  Central  with  electricity 
is  one  of  great  difficulty.  Upon  its  successful  solution 
will  depend  whether  electricity  is  to  be  installed  as  a 
motive  power  for  railroads. 

Numerous  reports  on  Chicago's  traction  problem 
have  been  presented  by  Mr.  Arnold  since  he  first  took 
up  the  work.  The  first  comprehensive  plan  for  routing, 
equipping  and  operating  all  lines — elevated,  surface  or 
subway — was  presented  November  i,  1902,  after  four 


BION    J.    ARNOLD. 

months'  investigation.  Supplementary  reports  have 
since  followed.  Traction  negotiations  even  in  other 
cities  are  based  on  these  reports  of  the  Chicago  situ- 
ation. 

Mr.  Arnold  is  president  of  the  Arnold  Company,  an 
electrical  engineering  corporation,  operating  for  many 
of  the  principal  steam  railway  companies  of  the  coun- 
try. He  also  is  president  of  the  Kenosha  (Wisconsin) 
Electric  Railway  Company.  He  is  a  member  and  a 
former  president  of  the  American  Institute  of  Electri- 
cal Engineers,  and  was  one  of  its  five  representatives 
at  the  International  Electrical  Congress  at  Paris  in 
1900.  He  is  a  trustee  of  Hillsdale  College  and  has 
served  as  a  trustee  of  the  Western  Society  of  Engineers. 
He  was  first  vice-president  and  chairman  of  the  execu- 
tive committee  of  the  International  Electrical  Con- 
gress at  St.  Louis  in  1904.  He  is  vice-president  of  the 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


United  Engineering-  Society  of  New  York,  an  organi- 
zation having  charge  of  the  $1,500,000  donation  of 
Andrew  Carnegie  for  the  construction  of  a  joint  engi- 
neering building  for  the  American  Institute  of  Electri- 
cal Engineers,  the  American  Society  of  Mechanical 
Engineers  and  the  American  Institute  of  Mining 
Engineers. 

Mr.  Arnold  is  also  a  member  of  the  Union  League 
Club  of  Chicago,  the  Transportation  and  Engineering 
clubs  of  New  York,  the  American  Association  for  the 
Advancement  of  Science,  the  American  Society  for  the 
Promotion  of  Engineering  Education  and  the  Ameri- 
can Society  of  Civil  Engineers. 

Lyman  Edgar  Cooley,  civil  engineer,  was  born  at 
Canandaigua,  Ontario  County,  New  York,  December 
5,  1850,  the  son  of  Albert  B.  and  Aksah  (Griswold) 
Cooley.  He  is  a  great-grandson  of  John  Cooley,  who 
removed  to  western  New  York  from  Connecticut 
early  in  the  nineteenth  century,  making  his  home  on  a 
farm  a  few  miles  west  of  Canandaigua. 

The  family  is  traced  to  Sir  William  Cooley  in 
England,  before  whose  time  the  name  is  found  written 
Cowley  and  Colley.  A  collateral  branch  was  the  Well- 
esley  or  Wesley  family,  and  from  one  Richard  Colley, 
who  assumed  this  name  to  inherit  estates,  Arthur 
Wellesley,  the  first  Duke  of  Wellington,  was  descended. 
The  original  Cooley  in  this  country  came  to  New 
England  prior  to  1636,  and  from  this  stock  has  sprung 
many  able  men,  among  whom  is  the  late  Judge  Thomas 
M.  Cooley  of  Michigan. 

After  a  course  of  study  at  the  Canandaigua  Acad- 
emy, Lyman  E.  Cooley  taught  in  that  institution  in 
1870-1872,  and  then  attended  the  Rensselaer  Polytech- 
nic Institute  at  Troy,  where  he  was  graduated  in  1874, 
having  covered  the  course  in  two  years.  In  1874-1877 
he  became  the  professor  of  engineering  at  North- 
western University,  and  in  1876-1878  was  associate 
editor  of  the  Engineering  News.  In  1878  he  aided 
William  Sooy  Smith  in  the  construction  of  the  railroad 
bridge  over  the  Missouri,  at  Glasco,  Missouri.  Later 
in  the  year  he  was  engaged  under  Major  (now  Colonel) 
Suter,  on  the  improvement  of  the  Missouri  and  Mis- 
sissippi rivers,  with  headquarters  at  St.  Louis.  For 
four  years  following  he  had  charge  of  local  improve- 
ments and  surveys  in  Nebraska,  Iowa,  Missouri, 
Arkansas  and  Tennessee.  For  two  years  more  he 
was  chief  assistant,  in  general  charge  of  all  local 
work  on  the  Missouri  River  below  Yankton.  Return- 
ing to  Chicago  toward  the  end  of  1884,  ^r-  Cooley 
became  editor  of  the  American  Engineer,  but  in 
1885  severed  his  connection  with  that  journal. 
Later  he  became  interested  in  sanitary  agitation.  As 
a  member  of  a  sub-committee  of  the  Citizens'  associa- 
tion, he  drew  the  report,  in  September,  1885,  which 


began  the  public  agitation  in  favor  of  a  sanitary  canal, 
and  aided  in  securing  the  organization  of  a  drainage 
and  water  supply  commission,  of  which  he  was  chief 
assistant  in  1886-1887.  In  1888,  he  was  consulting 
engineer  to  the  city,  and  to  the  commission  that  framed 
the  sanitary  district  act,  and  represented  the  city  and  its 
seven  civic  organizations  in  promoting  the  bill  to  a 
passage  by  the  State  Legislative  in  1889.  He  acted  as 
engineer  to  the  commission  that  determined  the  bound- 
aries of  the  Sanitary  District  in  1889,  and  was  the  first 
chief  engineer  during  1890.  He  became  a  member 
of  the  board  of  trustees  in  1891,  serving  until  the  expira- 
tion of  his  term  in  December,  1895,  and  during  the 
entire  time  was  chairman  of  the  Engineering  Com- 


LYMAN   EDGAR   COOLEY. 

mittee.  He  also  acted  as  consulting  engineer  of  the 
Sanitary  District  in  1897.  Since  1889  he  has  taken  an 
active  interest  in  the  extension  of  the  taxing  power  in 
the  district :  in  fact,  has  stood  sponsor  for  all  legislation 
thus  far  had  in  relation  to  this  question.  In  1895  he 
was  appointed  by  President  Cleveland  a  member  of  the 
international  deep-watenvays  commission  (a  joint 
commission  with  Canada),  together  with  Dr.  James 
B.  Angell,  of  Michigan,  and  John  E.  Russell,  of  Massa- 
chusetts, and  had  charge  of  the  investigation.  Surveys 
have  since  been  made  for  ocean  navigation  from  the 
Atlantic  seaboard  to  Chicago  and  Duluth  via  the  Great 
Lakes.  Of  the  international  association  to  promote  this 
project,  he  is  the  American  vice-president.  In  the  fall  of 
1897,  Mr.  Cooley,  with  a  number  of  contractors  and 
engineers  selected  by  him,  went  to  Nicaragua,  incidently 
visiting  Panama,  for  the  purpose  of  advancing  the 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


217 


Nicaragua  Canal.  The  events  of  the  Spanish  war 
interrupted  their  plans,  and  the  project  has  since  been  a 
matter  of  government  concern. 

In  the  summer  of  1898  he  acted  as  advisory  engi- 
neer to  the  committee  appointed  by  Governor  Black 
to  investigate  the  expenditures  for  the  improvements 
of  the  canals  of  the  state  of  New  York  under  what  is 
known  as  the  "Nine  Million  Act."  In  1896-1897  he 
served  as  a  member  of  the  expert  committee  appointed 
by  Mayor  Swift  of  Chicago  to  devise  a  remedy  for  the 
pollution  of  Lake  Michigan  by  means  of  intercepting 
sewers,  etc.  He  has  been  a  member  of  the  Western 
Society  of  Civil  Engineers  since  1875,  and  in  1888  was 
its  secretary,  and  was  its  president  two  terms,  1890- 
1891.  In  1901  he  was  a  member  of  the  Expert  Com- 
mission on  a  comprehensive  plan  for  the  completion 
of  the  works  of  the  Sanitary  District  of  Chicago.  He 
has  been  the  consulting  engineer  for  the  Union  Water 
Company,  Denver,  Colorado,  during  the  construction 
of  the  Cheesman  dam,  which  controls  the  flow  of  the 
South  Platte  near  the  outlet  of  South  Park.  This  dam 
is  the  highest  in  the  world,  requiring  four  years  for  its 
construction.  It  is  225  feet  high  and  forms  a  reservoir 
with  a  depth  of  210  feet,  and  is  designed  to  control  a 
reserve  supply  of  water  for  the  City  of  Denver,  and  is 
sufficient  for  three  years.  Mr.  Cooley  is  engineer  for 
the  Keokuk  &  Hamilton  Water  Power  Company, 
which  recently  secured  the  consent  of  congress  to  the 
construction  of  a  dam  across  the  Mississippi  River  at 
the  foot  of  the  Des  Moines  rapids.  This  dam  will  be 
over  a  mile  long,  and  30  to  35  feet  high,  and  will  pro- 
duce a  minimum  of  over  60,000  horse  power.  Mr. 
Cooley  has  continued  to  promote  the  deep  waterway 
between  Chicago  and  St.  Louis,  which  formed  part  of 
his  original  conception  of  the  sanitary  solution  in  1885. 

Mr.  Cooley  is  a  member  of  the  American  Society  of 
Civil  Engineers,  the  Western  Society  of  Engineers,  the 
Chicago  Academy  of  Sciences,  the  National  Geographic 
Society,  and  the  Chicago  Press  Club. 

He  has  lectured  at  the  State  Universities  of  Wis- 
consin, Illinois  and  Michigan.  His  most  important 
publications  on  his  special  subject  are :  "Lakes  and 
Gulf  Waterways"  (1888-1889),  and  a  more  elaborate 
work  with  the  same  title  in  1891. 

He  was  married  at  Canandaigua,  New  York, 
December  31,  1874,  to  Lucena,  daughter  of  Peter  and 
Lucena  McMillan.  They  have  two  sons  and  a  daughter. 

Henry  M.  Byllcsby,  president  of  H.  M.  Byllesby  & 
Company,  incorporated,  is  one  of  the  well-known 
mechanical  engineers  of  the  city,  whose  name  con- 
nected with  a  big  commercial  enterprise  is  looked  upon 
as  a  guarantee  of  its  success.  He  was  born  in  New 
Jersey,  the  son  of  the  Rev.  DeWitt  C.  and  Sarah 
Mathews  Byllesby,  and  was  educated  in  Lehigh  Uni- 


versity as  a  mechanical  engineer.  He  afterward  served 
in  the  shops  and  drafting  office  of  Robert  Wetherill  & 
Co.,  Chester,  Pennsylvania,  and  was  subsequently  in  the 
engineering  department  of  the  Edison  Electric  Light 
Company,  New  York.  Mr.  Byllesby  then  became  first 
vice-president  and  general  manager  of  the  Westing- 
house  Electric  Company,  managing  director  of  the 
Westinghouse  Electric  Company,  Limited,  of  London, 
England,  and  afterward  president  of  the  Northwestern 
General  Electric  Company. 

Mr.  Byllesby's  rapid  advance  in  the  world  of  electric 
development  soon  gave  him  a  foremost  position  among 
the  electrical  experts  of  the  country.  During  the  first 
few  years  after  his  leaving  college  he  was  constantly 


HENRY    M.    BYLLESBY. 

identified  with  the  development  of  electric  light,  street 
railways,  power  transmission  and  gas  plants.  He 
launched  into  a  business  career  for  himself  when  H.  M. 
Byllesby  &  Company  was  incorporated  and  he  became 
president  of  the  corporation.  The  company  is  engaged 
in  the  business  of  consulting,  designing  and  construct- 
ing engineers  for  all  classes  of  railway,  light,  gas, 
hydraulic  and  power  transmission  plants. 

The  company  is  largely  interested  as  managers  and 
engineers  and  also  as  part  owners  in  utility  properties 
at  San  Diego,  California,  Oklahoma  City.  Oklahoma 
Territory,  Fort  Smith,  Arkansas,  Zanesville,  Ohio, 
Mansfield.  Ohio,  as  well  as  a  large  number  of  prop- 
erties distributed  generally  throughout  the  country. 

Although  his  business  interests  have  been  vast,  Mr. 
Byllesby  has  found  time  to  indulge  in  the  social  ameni- 
ties of  life  and  is  a  member  of  the  Union  League  Club, 


IMS 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


Chicago,  tlie  Midlothian  Country  Club,  Chicago,  the 
Lawyers'  Club,  New  York  City  and  the  Queen  City 
Club,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 

He  married  Margaret  Stearns,  daughter  of  the  late 
H.  P.  Baldwin  of  the  New  Jersey  Central  Railroad 
Company.  His  residence  is  at  4642  Lake  avenue, 
Chicago. 

James  Ormerod  Heyworth,  one  of  the  most  success- 
ful of  western  civil  engineers  and  contractors,  was  born 
at  Chicago,  June  12,  1866.  His  elementary  education 
was  secured  in  the  grammar  and  high  schools  of  this 
city.  After  graduating  from  high  school  with  honors, 
Mr.  Heyworth  entered  Yale  University  and  completed 
his  college  education  at  that  institution. 

Even  as  a  boy,  Mr.  Heyworth's  tastes  inclined 
to  engineering  and  scientific  work.  His  studies  and 


JAMES    ORMEROD    HEYWORTH. 

collegiate  training  were  directed  along  the  lines  he  pre- 
ferred and  he  started  active  engineering  work  imme- 
diately after  leaving  college.  As  a  general  contractor 
he  has  supervised  and  completed  important  engineering 
undertakings  in  many  parts  of  the  United  States.  The 
immense  jetties  at  Port  Arthur,  Texas,  were  con- 
structed by  him.  Those  at  Fernandino,  Florida,  also, 
are  the  result  of  his  planning  and  work.  The  locks  and 
dams  of  the  Warrior  river  in  Alabama  are  others  of 
his  accomplishments.  Various  sections  of  Chicago's 
superb  track  elevation  system  now  are  being  built  by 
Mr.  Heyworth.  A  number  of  other  large  engineering 
tasks  are  under  his  charge  and  nearing  completion. 

Mr.  Heyworth's  parents  were  James  O.  and  Julia 
F.  (Dimon)  Heyworth.     He  was  married  to  Miss  Mar- 


tica  G.  Waterman  of  Southport,  Connecticut,  and  has 
his  home  at  Lake  Forest,  Illinois.  Mr.  Heyworth 
is  a  member  of  numerous  social  and  professional 
clubs.  Among  the  number  are :  The  University  Club, 
the  Calumet  Club,  the  Engineers  Club,  the  Onwentsia 
Club,  the  Washington  Park  Club,  the  Chicago  Yacht 
Club  and  the  Tolleston  Club.  His  business  office  is 
in  the  Railway  Exchange  building. 

Kohler  Brothers,  contracting  engineers,  specialize 
in  the  complete  installation  of  lighting  and  power 
plants,  the  building  of  electric  railways  and  various 
phases  of  newspaper  and  printing  press  engineering. 
The  reputation  of  the  firm  in  the  latter  line  is  world- 
wide, and  it  owns  many  valuable  patents  which  increase 
the  production  of  press  rooms,  save  time  and  paper, 
and  govern  and  control  presses  and  other  machinery 
by  means  of  electric  push  buttons. 

The  firm  was  organized  in  1891  by  G.  A.  Edward 
Kohler  and  Franklin  W.  Kohler.  Its  main  offices  are  in 
Chicago,  occupying  suites  1804  to  1812  Fisher  build- 
ing. The  factory  is  located  at  54-56  Custom  House 
court.  The  New  York  office  is  in  the  Metropolitan 
Life  building  and  the  European  office  is  in  London  at 
56  Ludgate  Hill. 

Among  the  electrical  contracts  that  the  company 
has  completed  in  and  near  Chicago  are  the  following : 
Chicago  &  Alton  railroad  shops,  Chicago,  Burlington 
&  Quincy  railroad  shops,  the  Illinois  Central  terminal 
and  suburban  stations,  the  Oregon  Short  Line  shops, 
South  Side  Elevated  Railroad  entire  installation,  the 
Union  Pacific  Railroad  shops,  the  lighting  and  heating 
plants  of  the  Illinois  Eastern  Hospital  for  the  Insane 
and  the  Illinois  Northern  Hospital  for  the  Insane,  the 
lighting  plant  of  the  St.  Charles  Home  for  Boys,  and 
numerous  other  public  and  private  institutions. 

The  devices  of  Kohler  Brothers  are  used  in  printing 
establishments  in  all  parts  of  the  world.  Collectively 
these  inventions  are  known  as  The  Kohler  System, 
and  are  adopted  in  their  entirety  by  most  of  the  best 
equipped  newspaper  offices.  The  Kohler  System 
includes  patents  covering  Stone  magazine  reels,  for 
continuously  feeding  paper  without  stopping  the  press, 
pneumatic  lifts,  paper  carriers,  trucks  and  lifts,  plate 
trucks,  auto-plate  controllers,  flat-bed  press  controllers 
and  all  devices  entering  into  the  operation  of  news- 
paper and  printing  plants.  Their  electric  push-button 
method  of  control  is  the  most  distinctive  feature  of  the 
system. 

After  the  great  Baltimore  fire,  every  new  press- 
room in  the  city,  except  one,  was  designed,  recon- 
structed and  equipped  with  The  Kohler  System. 

Notable  printing  establishments  which  use  this  sys- 
tem for  the  electrical  operation  and  speed  control  of 
their  presses  and  other  machinery  are :  The  United 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


21!) 


States  Government  Printing  Office,  the  Chicago  Daily 
News,  the  Chicago  Tribune,  the  Brooklyn  Eagle,  the 
Baltimore  American,  the  St.  Louis  Post-Dispatch, 
Frank  A.  Munsey,  R.  R.  Donnelley  &  Sons  Company, 
the  Metropolitan  Life  Insurance  Company,  Sears,  Roe- 
buck &  Company,  Arbuckle  Brothers,  the  Morning 
Post  of  London,  Le  Matin  of  Paris,  El  Mercuric 
of  Santiago,  Chili,  and  hundreds  of  others. 

The  Roebling  Construction  Company,  after  a  long 
series  of  practical  experiments,  has  perfected  one  of  the 
most  effective  and  economical  systems  of  fireproof  con- 
struction for  modern  buildings,  and  its  systems  of  floors 
and  partitions  is  rapidly  becoming  one  of  the  best  known 
and  most  favored  throughout  the  country. 

Fireproof  construction  as  an  economic  feature  of 
modern  buildings  has  in  recent  years  attained  a  position 
of  great  importance  and  has  been  the  subject  of  exhaust- 
ive investigation  by  engineers  and  architects,  and  claims 
an  important  place  in  all  engineering  and  architectural 
journals.  Numerous  methods  are  now  on  the  market, 
only  a  few  of  which  satisfactorily  fulfill  the  requirements, 
and  some  of  these  are  so  expensive  as  to  preclude  their 
extensive  use. 

The  main  offices  of  The  Roebling  Construction 
Company  are  located  in  New  York  City,  where  it 
employs  a  very  large  force  of  engineers.  Its  factories 
are  at  Trenton,  New  Jersey.  Branch  offices  are  located 
in  the  principal  cities  of  the  country,  and  the  company 
is  prepared  to  make  estimates  promptly  and  execute 
contracts  in  all  parts  of  the  United  States,  Canada  and 
Mexico. 

The  Chicago  office  is  in  charge  of  Mr.  Andrew  \Y. 
Woodman,  who  is  not  only  the  Western  but  also  the 
New  England  agent  of  the  corporation,  having  another 
office  at  Boston,  where  he  spends  part  of  his  time.  He 
is  a  graduate  of  the  Massachusetts  Institute  of  Tech- 
nology and  has  been  associated  with  The  Roebling  Con- 
struction Company  since  its  incorporation.  His  early 
experience  in  structural  work  was  obtained  in  the  East, 
where  he  served  for  a  number  of  years  with  one  of  the 
leading  bridge  companies,  after  being  graduated  from 
college. 

Among  the  fireproof  buildings  in  Chicago  in  which 
the  company  has  erected  its  system  of  floor  construction 
may  be  mentioned :  Orchestra  Hall,  the  addition  to 
the  Rialto  building,  the  addition  to  the  Union  League 
Club,  The  Inter  Ocean's  new  building,  Brooke's  Casino, 
McVicker's  and  other  theaters  and  numerous  high-class 
apartment  buildings  and  hotels. 

Some  of  the  largest  works  of  the  company  have 
been  carried  on  in  New  York  dty,  as  that  city  has  the 
reputation  of  erecting  more  new  buildings  than  any 
other  citv  in  the  country.  It  has  built  its  floors  in  some 
of  the  finest  hotels  and  private  residences  in  the  coun- 


try, notably:  the  Astoria,  the  St.  Regis,  the  Astor  and 
the  Belmont  hotels,  the  Andrew  Carnegie,  P.  A.  B. 
Widener  and  Edwin  J.  Benvind  residences.  At  present 
the  company  is  engaged  upon  the  largest  fireproof  build- 
ing in  the  world,  the  store  of  John  Wanamaker  at  Phila- 
delphia, a  building  which  will  contain  about  forty  acres 
of  floor  space. 

The  system  of  floors  as  developed  by  the  company 
is  capable  of  economic  use  in  any  and  all  kinds  of  build- 
ings, and  in  each  case  the  type  of  floor  used  is  scientific- 
ally designed  so  as  to  properly  meet  the  existing  condi- 
tions. By  its  method  the  company  can  with  ease  build 
floors  capable  of  sustaining  the  heaviest  loads,  as  proof 
of  which  may  be  cited  the  fact  that  its  construction  has 
in  several  instances  been  used  for  the  floors  of  heavy 
bridges.  Experiments  made  of  a  section  of  flooring 
previously  subjected  to  a  five-hour  fire  test,  in  which 
the  temperature  reached  a  height  of  2,350  degrees, 
proved  that  it  could  sustain  a  load  of  4,100  pounds  per 
square  foot. 

The  Roebling  system  is  impregnable  to  fire,  can  be 
quickly  installed  and  assures  immunity  from  those 
unsightly  stains  which  so  generally  appear  on  ceilings 
where  other  forms  of  floors  are  used.  It  is  the  cheapest 
and  most  successful  of  all  the  fireproofing  systems,  and 
buildings  where  it  is  used  are  assured  of  the  lowest  rates 
of  insurance. 

E.  C.  &  R.  M.  Shankland,  of  the  Rookery  building, 
is  one  of  the  leading  engineering  firms  in  the  West.  The 
firm  was  organized  in  1898,  both  brothers  at  that  time 
being  connected  with  D.  H.  Burnham  &  Company,  the 
architects.  Edward  Clapp  Shankland  came  into  interna- 
tional prominence  in  1892,  when  he  acted  as  engineer 
of  construction  of  the  World's  Columbian  Exposition 
and  later  as  chief  engineer  of  the  fair.  He  was  born  in 
Pittsburg,  Pennsylvania,  August  2,  1854.  At  an  early 
age  he  went  with  his  parents  to  Dubuque,  Iowa,  where 
he  was  educated  in  the  public  schools.  In  1878  he  was 
graduated  from  the  Rensselaer  Polytechnic  Institute  in 
Troy,  New  York,  as  a  civil  engineer.  .  Immediately  after 
his  graduation  he  was  employed  by  the  national  govern- 
ment on  the  improvement  of  the  Mississippi  and  Mis- 
souri rivers,  being  engaged  in  this  work  for  five  years. 
From  1883  to  1889  Mr.  Shankland  made  a  reputation  as 
an  engineer  in  bridge  work  at  Canton,  Ohio.  In  the 
latter  year  he  joined  the  staff  of  Burnham  &  Root  in 
Chicago,  designing  the  steel  work  for  many  of  the 
modern  skyscrapers  in  the  country.  In  1894  he  became 
a  member  of  the  firm  of  D.  H.  Burnham  &  Company, 
where  he  remained  until  he  entered  into  partnership 
with  his  brother.  The  specialty  of  the  firm  is  the 
designing  of  steel  work  for  modern  buildings. 

Mr.  Shankland  has  received  many  testimonials  of 
his  ability.  He  has  been  awarded  the  Telford  gold 


220 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


medal  and  premium  from  the  Institute  of  Civil  Engi- 
neers for  a  paper  read  by  him  on  "Steel  Skeleton 
Structure  in  Chicago."  Cornell  College,  Iowa,  gave 
him  the  honorary  degree  of  M.  A.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  American  Society  of  Civil  Engineers,  American 
Society  of  Mechanical  Engineers,  the  Institute  of 
Civil  Engineers,  Western  Society  of  Engineers,  Ameri- 


EDVVARD   CLAPP    SHANKLAND. 

can  Society  of  Testing  Materials,  and  Franklin  Institute. 
He  is  also  a  member  of  the  University,  Midday,  Press 
and  Engineers'  clubs.  He  resides  with  his  wife  and 
three  children  at  4808  Champlain  avenue. 

Ralph  Martin  Shankland  was  born  in  Dubuque, 
Iowa,  September  8,  1863.  He  was  graduated  as  a 
civil  engineer  from  the  University  of  Michigan  in  1888. 
In  1890  he  came  to  Chicago  and  entered  the  employ  of 
D.  H.  Burnham  &  Company.  He  remained  there  until 
1898,  when  he  formed  the  present  partnership  with  his 
brother. 

He  is  a  member  of  the  American  Society  of  Civil 
Engineers,  the  Western  Society  of  Engineers,  Kenwood, 
Homewood,  University  and  Midday  clubs. 

In  1894  he  married  and  with  his  wife  and  one  son 
makes  his  home  at  the  Hyde  Park  hotel. 

Thomas  Elevator  Company.  The  construction  or 
material  elevator  is  the  mechanical  heart  whose  throbs 
mark  the  life  and  growth  of  a  modern  skyscraper.  The 
use  and  development  of  the  elevator  has  accompanied 
and  been  a  phase  in  the  adoption  of  the  present  style 
of  office  building.  Twenty-five  years  ago  when  build- 
ings were  few  stories  in  height,  elevators  to  carry 
materials  and  tools  were  unnecessary  and  unheard  of. 


To-day,  even  the  temporary  disabling  of  a  construction 
elevator  means  the  halting  of  all  work  on  the  building. 

The  Thomas  Elevator  Company  of  Chicago  is  the 
pioneer  in  the  devising,  manufacturing  and  operating 
of  such  elevators.  It  was  the  first  concern  to  perfect 
and  install  the  electrical  hoist,  and  there  is  hardly  a  large 
building  in  Chicago  in  whose  construction  this  com- 
pany has  not  assisted. 

In  the  construction  of  the  immense  new  plant  of 
Sears,  Roebuck  &  Company,  thirty  electrical  hoists  are 
now  being  operated  by  the  company.  This  is  the 
largest  number  ever  in  use  in  one  building  at  one  time 
and  for  their  maintenance  alone  it  was  necessary  that 
the  elevator  company  install  a  sub-station  at  a  cost  of 
$4,000. 

The  Thomas  Elevator  Company  has  been  operating 
since  the  Chicago  fire  in  1871.  With  the  advent  of 
the  high  building  came  the  era  of  the  steam  machine 
hoist.  Four  years  ago,  realizing  the  possibilities  of 
electrical  appliances,  the  company  began  experimenting 
with  electrical  hoists,  though  to  adopt  them  meant  the 
discarding  of  more  than  one  hundred  steam  engines. 
The  electrical  machine  was  found  to  be  far  superior 
in  doing  away  with  steam,  smoke,  water,  grease  and 


E.    A.    THOMAS. 

other  dirt,  and  the  engines  were  thrown  away.  The 
electrical  hoists  were  first  used  in  the  construction  of 
the  Trude  building.  Since  that  time  they  have  beer, 
used  with  absolute  success  in  every  large  building  in 
the  down-town  district. 

They  are  operated  at  an  average  speed  of  one  story 
per  second — the  top  floor  of  a  twenty-story  building 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


221 


being  reached  in  twenty  seconds.  This  means  to  the 
builder  that  his  material  arrives  as  promptly  and  his 
work  is  conducted  as  cheaply  on  the  twentieth  as  on 
the  second  story.  Contractors  realize  the  vital  charac- 
ter of  the  elevators  and  their  stopping  means  the  tie- 
up  of  the  material  and  all  the  workmen  on  the  building. 

As  a  safety  precaution  a  stringent  rule  is  always 
enforced  against  carrying  workmen  on  these  elevators. 
The  machinery  is  not  rented  to  contractors  but  the 
elevator  company  receives  a  subcontract  to  furnish, 
install,  maintain  and  operate  these  machines  when  a 
building  is  being  constructed. 

The  steam  hoists  are  still  used  on  small  buildings 
and  outside  of  the  business  sections  of  cities.  On  some 
buildings  even  horsepower  hoists  are  used.  The  first 
hoists  a  generation  ago  were  operated  by  hand  power, 
and  still  continue  in  use  on  small  flat  buildings. 

The  main  office,  factory  and  store  house  of  the 
Thomas  Elevator  Company  are  at  113  to  115  South 
Hoyne  avenue.  A  branch  office  for  Chicago  is  at  State 
and  Fifty-first  streets.  In  1895  another  branch  office 
was  started  in  New  York,  which  has  come  to  be  one  of 
the  largest  of  its  kind  in  the  East. 

E.  A.  Thomas,  the  head  of  the  company,  was  born 
in  Delavan,  Wisconsin,  March  19,  1850.  He  came  to 
Chicago  in  1871  and  took  a  place  with  his  brother,  the 
late  Charles  E.  Thomas,  in  the  present  business.  Chi- 
cago has  been  his  permanent  home  since  that  time.  He 
has  always  taken  an  interest  in  the  business  affairs  of 
the  city  and  is  a  director  of  the  Builders'  Club  and  a 
member  of  the  Chicago  Athletic  Association. 

The  Illinois  Brick  Company  was  incorporated  March 
31,  1900,  under  the  laws  of  Illinois,  to  consolidate  under 
one  ownership  and  control  the  principal  brick  interests 
of  Chicago.  The  properties  acquired  by  the  company 
embrace  thirty-six  brick-making  plants,  including  those 
of  the  Hoyt  &  Alsip  Brick  Company,  Alsip  Brick  Com- 
pany, Purington-Kimbell  Brick  Company,  Weckler 
Brick  Company.  Weckler-Prussing  Brick  Company, 
Wehl  Brothers,  Purington  Brick  Company,  Thomas 
Moulding  Company,  Evanston  Brick  Company,  Jeffer- 
son Brick  Company,  Bernard  F.  Weber,  Harms-Schlake 
Brick  Company,  Will  Brothers,  Riemer,  Labahn  & 
Kuester,  Henry  J.  Lutter,  Wolff  &  Blaul,  Robinson 
Brick  Company,  Gray  Tuthill  Company,  J.  Hundriser 
Company,  Harland  Brick  Company,  Shermanville  Brick 
Company,  Michael  Myers,  John  Busse  &  Son  and  Wil- 
liam Mensching. 

The  capital  stock  is  $4,000,000,  6  per  cent  cumula- 
tive preferred,  of  which  $3,550,500  was  issued,  and 
$5,000,000  common,  of  which  $4,350,500  is  outstanding. 
The  preferred  shareholders  are  entitled  to  priority  as 
to  assets. 

The  company  has  $370,000  trust  deed  obligations 


among   its    liabilities,    and   as   an    offset     thereto     has 
$300,000  bonds  in  the  treasury. 

The  officers  of  the  Illinois  Brick  Company  are: 
President,  George  C.  Prussing;  vice-president,  A.  J. 
Weckler;  secretary,  W.  E.  Schlake;  treasurer,  C.  D.  B. 
Howell ;  auditor,  Charles  B.  Ver  Nooy.  The  directors 
are :  Geo.  C.  Prussing,  William  Schlake,  C.  D.  B. 
Howell,  C.  B.  Ver  Nooy,  Wm.  Legnard,  Adam  J. 
Weckler,  Joseph  Moulding,  Phillip  Lichtenstadt,  D.  R. 
Forgan,  E.  C.  Potter,  M.  A.  Farr. 

Martin  B.  Madden's  rise  from  a  farmer  boy  to  a 
member  of  Congress  is  a  story  of  political  and  business 
success  with  few  parallels.  He  was  born  in  England,  at 
Darlington,  March  20,  1855.  His  father,  John  Madden, 
was  one  of  the  Third  Estate  and  his  mother,  Eliza 
O'Neill,  was  descended  of  the  ancient  ruling  family.  The 
Maddens  migrated  to  America  in  1860,  arriving  at 
Lemont,  Illinois.  When  Martin  was  six  years  old  he 
was  sent  to  the  public  schools,  which  he  attended  four 
years.  In  his  early  youth  he  worked  on  neighboring 
farms,  the  while  attending  night  school. 

His  life  was  not  particularly  eventful,  except  for 
his  marriage  to  Miss  Josephine  Smart  of  Downer's 
Grove,  Illinois,  'in  1878,  and  his  purchase  of  an  interest 
in  the  Joliet  Stone  Company  in  1881,  until  April.  1889, 
when  his  political  endeavors  commenced.  He  was 
elected  alderman  to  represent  the  Fourth  Ward,  and 
two  years  later  he  was  returned  to  his  seat  by  the  over- 
whelming majority  of  1,500  votes.  He  served  a  third 
term  from  1891  to  1893,  his  third  election  being  marked 
by  a  2,000  plurality.  During  these  six  years  of  public 
service  Mr.  Madden  made  an  enviable  record  for  him- 
self. He  was  the  chief  sponsor  for  the  civil  service 
reform  movement.  The  final  passage  of  the  Merit  law, 
in  1895,  during  his  fourth  term,  may  be  ascribed  to  his 
efforts.  He  accomplished  much  in  the  way  of  improv- 
ing the  city's  finances,  and  also  busied  himself  very 
largely  with  the  traction  problem. 

Three  times  Mr.  Madden  was  urged  to  run  for 
Mayor,  but  he  stepped  aside  for  George  B.  Swift,  whose 
ticket  was  successful  by  a  majority  of  4,000.  He  played 
a  prominent  part  in  the  national  campaign  of  1896, 
probably  the  most  memorable  in  history,  when  Bryan 
espoused  the  silver  cause.  As  an  orator  of  abilty,  Mr. 
Madden  was  instrumental  in  making  votes  for  Me  Kin- 
ley  and  returning  Illinois  to  the  Republican  ranks  by  a 
comfortable  margin. 

Business  duties  curbed  his  political  activities  for 
eight  years  following.  He  had  become  president  of  the 
Western  Stone  Company  in  1891,  and  the  concern  had 
by  this  time  grown  to  an  enterprise  of  some  magnitude. 
To-day  it  represents  the  consolidation  of  twelve  distinct 
stone  companies,  and  is  one  of  the  largest  industries 
in  the  state.  In  this  connection  Mr.  Madden's  views 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


upon  the  trust  and  labor  problems  are  interesting.  He 
is  himself  a  large  employer  of  labor,  in  addition  to  being 
an  organizer,  and  is  consequently  equipped  to  offer  a 
solution  for  these  economic  questions.  The  remedy  he 
suggests  is  to  apply  the  national  bank  method  of  super- 
vision to  all  trusts  or  combinations  that  make  or  handle 
articles  of  universal  necessity,  and  having  the  states 
adopt  similar  methods  of  supervising  local  combinations. 

In  the  national  election  of  1904,  Mr.  Madden,  at  a 
great  personal  sacrifice,  accepted  the  nomination  for 
Congress  in  the  First  district,  where  he  was  elected  by  a 
good  margin  in  a  hitherto  Democratic  stronghold. 

Mr.  Madden's  success  calls  to  mind  a  prophetic 
utterance  of  his  mother,  when  Martin  was  yet  in  his 
teens : 

"I  have  raised  a  son,"  she  said,  "who  will  not  lie, 
nor  take  anything  that  does  not  belong  to  him,  nor  own 
anything  that  he  has  not  paid  for  in  full.  He  will  not 
say  anything  against  his  neighbor,  even  if  that  neighbor 
be  his  enemy.  He  will  not  go  into  debt  for  himself. 
He  will  live  on  less  than  he  earns  and  ever  have  money 
011  hand  to  help  himself  and  his  friends  along.  He  will 
all  his  days  do  for  his  employers  more  than  he  may  be 
paid  to  do.  He  has  a  fine  mind,  a  good  tongue  and  a 
clean  soul,  and  he  will  keep  them  that  way  as  long  as  he 
lives,  1  know.  He  cannot  easily  be  deceived,  can  take 
care  of  himself,  and  will  never  deserve  any  shame.  He 
will  rise  from  the  time  he  left  home  and  will  not  fall 
until  he  dies,  and  he  will  always  stand  up  tall  and 
straight  among  his  fellow  men.  I  am  satisfied  alto- 
gether with  him  and  proud  of  what  I  have  done  in 
rearing  him.  The  greatest  statesman  can  do  no  more 
for  the  country  than  I  have  done  in  giving  Martin  to 
it — God  bless  them  both." 

The  Meacham  &  Wright  Company.  The  firm  of 
Meacham  &  Wright,  manufacturers'  agents  and  dealers 
in  hydraulic  cements,  stucco,  etc..  was  organized  in  1874 
by  Floras  D.  Meacham  and  Frank  S.  Wright.  It  is  the 
sole  distributing  agents  for  the  Utica  Cement  companies 
of  La  Salle  County,  Illinois,  and  its  business  ramifica- 
tions extend  to  all  points  throughout  the  country  where 
the  Utica  hydraulic  cement  has  been  known  and  used 
for  upward  of  fifty  years.  The  firm  is  likewise  one  of  the 
largest  dealers  in  imported  and  domestic  Portland 
cements  in  the  Central  and  Western  states,  and  for  years 
it  has  furnished  the  cementing  material  for  a  large 
majority  of  the  celebrated  engineering  and  architectural 
works  executed  in  Chicago,  St.  Louis,  Denver,  Kansas 
City,  St.  Paul,  Detroit,  Cleveland,  Indianapolis,  etc.,  and 
for  practically  all  the  railroads  radiating  from  Chicago. 
The  well-known  Utica  cement,  whose  entire  output  of 
3,000  barrels  per  diem  is  alone  controlled  and  distributed 
by  this  firm  through  its  Chicago  and  St.  Louis  houses, 
has  been  exclusively  used  since  1853  in  the  construction 


of  the  entire  water  supply  and  sewerage  systems  of  the 
city  of  Chicago,  and  largely  in  its  gas  works  and  cable 
traction  and  other  street  railroad  systems,  and  in  its 
roadway  and  sidewalk  paving  foundations.  On  January 
14,  1903,  the  firm  was  incorporated  under  the  name  of 
the  Meacham  &  Wright  Company.  Its  officers  are 
Floras  D.  Meacham,  president :  Frank  S.  Wright,  vice- 
president. 

Florus  D.  Meacham,  of  the  firm  of  Meacham  & 
Wright,  was  born  at  Whitehall,  Washington  County, 
New  York,  on  April  26.  1843.  He  is  the  son  of  Floras 
D.  and  Lucinda  (Church)  Meacham. 

Mr.  Meacham  came  to  Chicago  with  his  parents  in 
1857,  and  up  to  the  time  of  the  Civil  war  was  engaged 


FLORUS    D.    MEACHAM. 

as  a  clerk  in  the  offices  of  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad. 
When  the  war  broke  out  he  would  have  been  one  of  the 
first  to  enlist  had  he  followed  his  own  inclinations,  but 
he  yielded  to  the  entreaties  of  his  parents  and  remained 
at  home.  A  year  later,  however,  when  it  was  found  that 
the  suppression  of  the  rebellion  was  not  to  be  as  easy 
as  was  at  first  thought,  a  number  of  young  men,  com- 
posed for  the  greater  part  of  employees  of  the  large  mer- 
cantile houses  of  the  city,  organized  the  Chicago 
Mercantile  Battery.  The  name  of  Floras  D.  Meacham 
was  on  the  enlistment  roll,  and  he  went  to  the  front  with 
others  who  had  lain  down  their  work  that  they  might 
help  save  the  Union. 

Mr.  Meacham  served  until  the  close  of  hostilities.  In 
the  first  year  of  army  life  he  took  part  in  the  Mississippi 
River  campaign,  and  in  the  following  year  went  through 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


the  siege  at  Vicksburg  from  its  commencement  in  the 
early  spring-  until  the  final  surrender  on  July  4.  After 
the  capitulation  of  this  place  he  was  with  General  Banks 
on  the  Red  River  campaign,  and  after  this  his  battery 
was  sent  to  New  Orleans,  and  subsequently  took  part, 
under  General  Davidson,  in  the  land  operations  against 
Mobile,  which  was  among  the  last  of  the  Southern  ports 
to  fall. 

Returning  to  Chicago  in  1865,  Mr.  Meacham  was 
mustered  out  with  the  remaining  members  of  his  battery 
who  had  survived  the  three  years  of  service  in  the  field. 
Taking  up  civil  life  where  he  had  left  it,  he  was  engaged 
in  various  mercantile  pursuits  until  1874,  when,  with 
Mr.  F.  S.  Wright,  he  organized  the  firm  of  Meacham  & 
Wright,  dealers  in  Utica  and  Portland  cements.  This 
business  has  been  very  successful,  and  is  by  far  the 
largest  of  its  kind  in  the  country. 

Mr.  Meacham  is  a  Republican  in  his  political  affilia- 
tions, and,  although  he  has  never  sought  office,  he  was 
honored  by  the  Republican  County  Convention  of  1898 
with  the  nomination  for  member  of  the  Board  of  Review, 
to  which  position  he  was  elected  November  8,  1898, 
and  reflected  in  November,  1904.  This  office,  which  is 
one  of  the  most  important  to  the  taxpayer,  is  the  arbiter 
in  all  matters  that  pertain  to  both  real  and  personal  tax- 
ation, and  his  election  was  but  a  just  recognition  of  his 
executive  ability  and  his  successful  business  career. 

Mr.  Meacham  is  a  member  of  the  Loyal  Legion  and 
of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic.  He  is  also  identi- 
fied with  the  Illinois  and  Lincoln  clubs,  and  has  a  high 
standing  among  the  business  men  of  Chicago. 

Frank  S.  Wright,  of  the  firm  of  Meacham  &  Wright, 
is  a  native  of  the  Badger  State,  having  been  born  at 
Milwaukee,  July  27,  1846.  He  is  the  son  of  Peter  B.  and 
Elizabeth  (Ledden)  Wright.  Mr.  Wright  received  his 
education  in  the  common  schools  of  his  native  city  and 
in  those  of  Sheboygan  in  the  same  state,  to  which  latter 
place  his  parents  removed  when  he  was  ten  years  of 
age.  When  he  was  fifteen,  however,  he  gave  up  his 
studies  and  came  to  Chicago  in  search  of  work.  His 
first  employment  was  with  the  commission  house  of 
Shackford  &  How.  afterward  better  known,  perhaps, 
under  the  name  of  George  M.  How.  Here  he  remained 
until  the  spring  of  1867,  when,  although  not  yet  of  age, 
he  formed  a  partnership  with  Mr.  A.  C.  Scoville,  under 
the  name  of  Scoville  &  Wright,  and  engaged  in  the  com- 
mission business  at  No.  44  West  Lake  street.  This  firm 
had  a  prosperous  career  until  January  i,  1869,  when  Mr. 
Wright  withdrew  and  entered  the  employ  of  Haskin, 
Martin  &  Wheeler,  wholesale  dealers  in  salt  and  cement. 
He  remained  with  them  until  the  formation  of  the  pres- 
ent firm  of  Meacham  &  Wright,  some  few  years  later. 

Mr.  Wright  is  a  strong  Republican  in  his  political 
views  and  a  member  of  the  Illinois  Club.  He  takes 


much  interest  in  the  welfare  of  the  fraternal  order  known 
as  the  Royal  League,  and  as  a  member  of  its  Supreme 
Council  was  very  active  during  its  early  years  in  building- 
it  up  and  placing  it  on  its  present  secure  footing. 


FRANK    S.   WRIGHT. 

He  was  married  January  4,  1866,  to  Miss  Mercy  A. 
McClevey,  daughter  of  Colonel  Smith  McClevey  of  Chi- 
cago, and  has  a  family  of  four  daughters  and  one  son. 

The    Northwestern   Terra    Cotta    Company,     [t    is 

not  generally  known  that  the  majority  of  our  great 
skyscrapers  are  built  of  clay.  A  visit  to  the  immense 
plant  of  the  Northwestern  Terra  Cotta  Company,  1000 
Clybourn  avenue,  will  prove  the  truth  of  this,  however. 
This  company  is  the  largest  terra  cotta  concern  in  the 
world,  in  size  as  well  as  output.  The  plant  covers  about 
twenty  acres  of  ground  on  the  north  side. 

To  see  carloads  of  clay  come  in  at  one  end  and 
watch  it  through  various  metamorphoses,  until  it  is 
shipped  out  as  architectural  terra  cotta,  of  almost  end- 
less colors  and  designs  and  of  a  durability  that  will 
withstand  the  wear  of  centuries,  is  an  interesting  study. 
Coming  into  the  plant,  the  clay  is  ground  to  a  powder 
and  then  mixed  with  water  until  it  becomes  pliable  and 
elastic.  It  is  next  put  into  molds  of  plaster  of  Paris. 
These  molds  have  been  made  from  models  done  in 
modeling  clay  by  sculptors.  Having  received  their 
forms  in  these  molds,  the  pieces  of  soft  clay  are  put 
into  a  drying  room  until  all  moisture  has  evaporated, 
leaving  them  hard  and  firm.  The  surfaces  are  then  semi- 
glazed  or  enameled  by  being  sprayed  with  a  chemical 
mixture  with  compressed  air.  The  material  is  then 
ready  for  the  final  process,  that  of  burning.  In  great 


224 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


kilns,  of  which  there  are  twenty-six  at  the  plant,  each 
as  large  as  a  house,  it  is  subjected  to  the  constant  heat 
of  a  roaring  fire  for  seven  days.  The  brick  door  of  the 
kiln  is  gradually  taken  down  when  the  fire  is  extin- 
guished, the  ware  being  allowed  to  cool  for  several 
days.  The  kiln  is  then  opened  and  terra  cotta,  a 
material  of  high  compressive  strength  and  lightness, 
taken  out,  where  clay  had  been  put  in.  The  inside  of 
each  block  of  terra  cotta  is  hollow  for  brick  filling. 

In  the  thirty  years  the  Northwestern  Terra  Cotta 
Company  has  been  in  existence  it  has  furnished  terra 
cotta  for  numberless  skyscrapers  and  for  government 


rotunda  in  cream-colored  terra  cotta,  instead  of  marble. 
This  work  was  done  by  the  Northwestern  Company 
as  was  the  exterior  of  the  Railway  Exchange  building. 

The  officers  of  the  concern  are  skilled  by  long  expe- 
rience in  the  manufacture  of  terra  cotta,  dating  back 
to  the  time  of  their  predecessors,  the  Chicago  Terra 
Cotta  Company.  The  president,  G.  Hottinger,  was  a 
sculptor.  John  R.  True,  vice-president  and  treasurer, 
gained  his  first  experience  as  a  clerk,  and  F.  Wagner, 
the  secretary,  was  an  architect. 

Cameron  L.  Willey,  importer,  exporter  and  manu- 
facturer of  foreign  and  domestic  hardwood  lumber  and 


THE   NORTHWESTERN   TERRA- COTTA  COMPANY'S   PLANT. 


and  public  buildings  thoughout  the  country.  Seven 
hundred  and  fifty  employees,  working  in  eight-hour 
shifts,  make  the  plant  a  scene  of  industry,  night  and 
day.  At  the  St.  Louis  Fair  the  products  of  the  company 
received  the  grand  prize,  in  a  competition  with  seventy 
exhibitors.  First  awards  were  also  received  at  New 
Orleans  in  1884  and  at  Chicago  in  1893.  An  interesting 
exhibit  of  the  work  done  by  the  company  is  made  at 
its  branch  office  in  the  Railway  Exchange  building.  The 
walls  of  the  room  are  built  of  inlaid  enameled  terra 
cotta  in  an  almost  infinite  variety  of  shades  and  colors. 
At  the  time  the  Railway  Exchange  building  was 
erected  an  innovation  was  made  in  executing  the 


veneer,  is  the  proprietor  and  operator  of  the  largest 
veneer  plant  in  the  world.  His  offices,  yards,  docks 
and  factories  are  located  at  1225  Robey  street,  south  of 
Blue  Island  avenue.  The  eastern  and  export  office  is 
at  130  Pearl  street,  New  York  city;  the  foreign  office  is 
at  No.  45  Exchange  Chambers,  Liverpool,  England. 

The  Chicago  business  of  C.  L.  Willey  was  estab- 
lished in  1891.  Previous  to  that  he  had  been  in  business 
for  himself  in  Pittsburg,  selling  out  his  interests  there 
in  1889.  The  Eastern  business  had  been  established  in 
1877  and  grown  steadily.  After  coming  west,  Mr.  Willey 
pushed  his  plant  forward  until  now  it  outranks  all  com- 
petitors and  is  the  only  one  of  five  in  the  United  States. 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


The  ability  to  produce  the  choicest  veneer  is  acquired 
only  through  long  experience  in  manufacturing  and  by 
having  access  to  a  vast  quantity  of  hardwood  logs  from 
which  to  make  selection.  The  whole  world  is  ransacked 
for  the  logs  that  are  sawed  in  this  mill,  and  constant 


CAMERON    L.    WILLEY. 

investigation  keeps  the  concern  in  the  foreground  in 
advanced  methods  of  manufacture. 

Agents  for.  Mr.  Willey  are  constantly  traveling 
through  the  United  States  and  in  foreign  countries  in 
search  of  material.  He  has  just  returned  from  an 
extended  trip  through  Europe,  where  he  studied  the 
foreign  methods  of  veneer  manufacture.  Mr.  Willey 
personally  supervises  the  opening  and  sawing  of  the  logs 
for  the  finest  and  most  costly  veneer.  There  are  few 
other  industries  in  which  quality  is  so  flexible,  or  the 
matter  of  opinion  so  variable.  Mr.  Willey's  method 
makes  it  possible  to  meet  all  requirements  of  the  users 
of  forest  productions  of  the  hardwood  variety. 

Mr.  Willey  was  born  in  Dansville,  New  York,  in 
1855.  His  earlier  education  was  secured  in  the  schools 
of  that  town,  and  later  he  attended  Duffs  College  at 
Pittsburg,  Pennsylvania,  graduating  in  1871.  His  first 
practical  business  experience  was  secured  in  his  father's 
saw  and  shingle  mill 'at  Warren,  Pennsylvania,  where  he 
worked  for  seven  years.  When  he  had  sufficiently  mas- 
tered the  trade  to  start  business  for  himself,  he  moved  to 
Pittsburg. 

Mr.  Willey's  home  is  at  4750  Grand  boulevard.  He 
has  one  son,  Charles  B.  Willey,  who  is  now  associated 
with  him  in  business.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Union 

15 


League  Club,  the  Chicago  Athletic  Association,  the 
Washington  Park  Club  and  the  Builders'  and  Traders' 
Exchange. 

The  John  Spry  Lumber  Company,  one  of  the  largest 
and  foremost  in  the  West,  was  founded  in  1885 
as  a  successor  to  the  Gardner  &  Spry  Lumber  Company, 
one  of  the  pioneer  lumber  concerns  of  Chicago.  The 
company's  yards  which  have  an  annual  capacity  of 
sixty  million  feet  are  situated  at  Ashland  avenue  and 
Twenty-second  street,  over  a  half  mile  in  length,  and 
extending  from  the  waterworks  to  the  Chicago  river's 
south  branch.  The  business  has  expanded  steadily 
since  its  inception  and  to-day  the  company's  trade 
extends  to  every  part  of  the  United  States. 

John  Spry,  the  founder  and  for  many  years  president 
of  the  company,  was  a  native  of  Cornwall,  England, 
where  he  was  born  August  3,  1828.  He  came  to 
America  with  his  parents  when  a  child.  The  Sprys 
located  in  Chicago,  and  John,  at  the  age  of  thirteen, 
secured  employment  in  the  lumber  yard  of  Andrew 
Smith.  The  position  was  humble,  but  the  boy  acquired 
a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  business,  which  later 
qualified  him  for  one  of  the  principal  factors  of  the 
American  lumber  industry.  At  the  age  of  twenty-seven 


SAMUEL   A.    SPRY. 

he  secured  a  working  interest  in  the  yard  of  F.  B. 
Gardner,  and  in  1866,  he  became  an  active  partner, 
organizing  the  firm  of  Gardner  &  Spry,  with  F.  B.  Gard- 
ner as  senior  partner.  In  1869  it  became  the  Gardner 
&  Spry  Lumber  Company.  When  Mr.  Gardner  retired, 
in  1885,  Mr.  Spry  reorganized  the  business  as  the 


226 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


John  Spry  Lumber  Company,  which  name  has  since 
endured. 

Mr.  Spry  was  prominent  in  public  affairs,  was  one  of 
the  early  members  of  the  Board  of  Trade  and  was  a 
leading  Mason.  After  his  death,  which  occurred  in 
Chicago,  February  5,  1891,  his  sons,  John  C,  Samuel 
A.  and  George  E.  Spry,  assumed  control  of  the  business. 
The  first  named,  the  eldest  of  the  three  children,  was 
born  in  Chicago  in  1857.  After  receiving  an  education 
in  the  public  schools  and  a  business  college,  he  entered 
the  employ  of  Gardner  &  Spry,  working  his  way  up  to 
the  presidency,  which  he  assumed  in  1891,  after  the 
death  of  his  father.  He  was  succeeded  in  1900  by  Sam- 
uel A.  Spry,  who  had  hitherto  served  as  vice-president, 
while  George  E.  Spry,  the  youngest  son,  who  had 
been  secretary  and  treasurer,  became  vice-president 
and  treasurer. 

In  addition  to  their  lumber  manufacturing  business 
the  Sprys  are  largely  interested  in  pine  lands.  Finan- 
cially they  are  resourceful,  while  they  are  regarded  as 
stimulating  factors  in  the  lumber  industry. 

The  Reginald  J.  Davis  Company  stands  at  the  head 
of  the  firms  in  Chicago  which  make  a  specialty  of  high- 
class  interior  finish  work  and  building  contracting.  It 
was  incorporated  in  1900  by  Reginald  J.  Davis  and  is  a 
close  corporation,  being  owned  and  controlled  solely  by 
Mr.  Davis,  its  founder.  Its  work  is  to  be  seen  in  many 
of  the  largest  and  finest  buildings  of  Chicago,  among 
them  being  the  Marshall  Field  new  retail  store  at 
State  and  Randolph  streets  the  Railway  Exchange 
building  at  Jackson  boulevard  and  Michigan  ave- 
nue, the  Heyworth  building  at  \\abash  avenue  and 
Madison  street,  the  First  National  Bank  building,  and 
in  many  of  the  finest  residences  in  Chicago.  The  firm's 
reputation  has  extended  all  over  the  country,  so  that  it 
is  frequently  called  upon  to  bid  upon  out-of-town  struc- 
tures. At  present  it  is  engaged  upon  the  contract  on 
the  new  San  Francisco  Chronicle  building,  San  Fran- 
cisco, California.  The  company  has  its  offices  at  1451 
Railway  Exchange  building  and  it  operates  three  fac- 
tories in  Chicago,  located  at  2300  to  2310  La  Salle 
street,  22  and  24  South  Jefferson  street  and  2253  to 
2257  Wentworth  avenue. 

Reginald  J.  Davis,  the  president  of  the  company,  is 
known  as  one  of  the  experts  in  the  line  of  interior  finish 
in  the  United  States.  He  was  born  August  18,  1848,  in 
South  Wales,  England,  and  learned  his  profession  in 
the  old  country,  serving  a  long  indoor  apprenticeship 
and  perfecting  himself  in  the  many  branches  which  have 
proved  so  useful  to  him  in  his  subsequent  career.  His 
apprenticeship  covered  the  technical  as  well  as  the  prac- 
tical side  of  his  profession  and  he  took  the  first  prize 
in  his  examination  at  the  London  Technical  School, 
receiving  a  percentage  of  97  out  of  a  possible  100.  He 


came  to  the  United  States  in  1878  and  settled  in  St. 
Paul.  He  came  to  Chicago  in  1882.  and  speedily  forged 
to  the  front  as  a  contractor.  His  incorporation  of  the 
firm  of  R.  J.  Davis  &  Company  was  the  result  of  close 
application  to  business  and  taking  advantage  of  the 
opportunities  for  fine  work  when  Chicago  took  the  lead 
in  the  erection  of  skyscraper  buildings.  Mr.  Davis 


REGINALD    J.    DAVIS. 

is  independent  in  politics,  is  a  Royal  Arch  Mason,  a 
member  of  the  New  Illinois  Athletic  Club  and  of  the 
Hinsdale  Golf  Club.  He  was  married  in  the  old  country- 
previous  to  coming  to  America,  and  leads  a  quiet  life  at 
his  home  at  945  Sawyer  avenue. 

Arthur  Nollau,  of  the  Nollau  &  Wolff  Manufactur- 
ing Company,  was  born  in  Manitowoc,  Wisconsin,  in 
1859.  He  is  one  of  the  best  known  manufacturers  of 
general  millwork  and  interior  finish  of  the  Middle  West. 
Some  of  the  most  modern  and  handsome  buildings  in 
Chicago  and  vicinity  have  been  fitted  with  the  products 
of  his  firm.  He  began  his  successful  career  as  a  cash 
boy  in  a  Manitowoc  general  merchandise  store,  but 
soon  was  promoted  to  clerk,  and  later  to  bookkeeper. 
With  his  savings  he  came  to  Chicago  in  1884  and 
formed  a  partnership  with  Otto  E.  Wolff  under  the 
firm  name  of  Wolff  &  Nollau.  Their  plant  is  located 
at  35  to  45  Fullerton  avenue,  covering  half  a  block.  It 
has  gradually  increased  from  a  small  factory  employing 
20  men  to  their  present  capacity  of  200  men.  In  1900 
the  firm  was  incorporated  as  the  Nollau  &  Wolff  Manu- 
facturing Company.  The  floor  space  of  the  present  fac- 
tory is  more  than  48,000  square  feet,  not  including  dry- 
ing kilns,  engine  rooms,  large  lumber  yards  and  the 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


227 


offices.  The  plant  of  the  Nollau  &  Wolff  Manufactur- 
ing- Company  is  to-day  considered  one  of  the  best 
equipped  and  best  located  for  interior  finish  and  general 
milhvork  in  the  United  States. 

The  new  Chicago  &  North-Western  Railway's  office 
building  at  Jackson  boulevard  and  Franklin  streets,  the 
Majestic  theater  and  office  building  on  Monroe  street 


ARTHUR    NOLLAU. 

near  Dearborn  street  and  Sears,  Roebuck  &  Com- 
pany's new  plant  at  Hamlin  and  Harvard  streets  are 
among  the  recent  structures  in  which  the  Nollau  & 
Wolff  Manufacturing  Company  furnished  all  the  mill- 
work  and  interior  finish. 

Mr.  Nollau  is  a  member  of  the  Chicago  Athletic 
Association,  a  prominent  Mason  and  a  member  of 
several  other  organizations  and  fraternities. 

B.  F.  Weber  is  a  native  Chicagoan,  born  January  6, 
1853,  at  a  date  when  the  population  of  the  City  of  Chi- 
cago scarcely  exceeded  50,000  souls.  He  is  the  son  of 
Michael  and  Anna  M.  Weber,  pioneer  settlers  of  the 
city.  He  acquired  a  practical  education  in  the  public 
schools,  and  in  Dyrenfurth  College.  Upon  attaining 
his  majority  he  engaged  in  the  real  estate  and  loan  busi- 
ness on  his  own  account,  having  offices  in  the  Ewing 
block,  and  has  since  been  interested  in  the  business, 
being  the  senior  partner  of  the  firm  of  Weber,  Kransz  & 
Company,  located  since  1881  at  84  La  Salle  street.  He 
is  one  of  the  original  fifty  members  of  the  Chicago 
Real  Estate  Board,  and  still  remains  a  member.  In 
1889  he  extended  his  business  operations  to  include  an 
interest  in  the  Jefferson  Brick  Company,  of  which  he 


was  the  president,  until  the  formation  of  the  Illinois 
Brick  Company,  which  combination  was  effected  in 
April,  1900. 

In  1891  he  organized  the  Weber-Labahn  Company, 
of  which  he  was  president  until  he  disposed  of  his  inter- 
est and  established  his  own  works,  which  for  many 
years  was  the  model  yard  of  the  Illinois  Brick  Company, 
known  as  Yard  No.  5. 

Mr.  Weber  was  vice-president  of  the  Illinois  Brick 
Company  until  his  resignation  in  February  of  this  year, 
when  he  resigned  to  accept  the  presidency  of  the 
National  Brick  Company,  recently  organized  with  a 
capital  of  $500,000,  now  erecting  plants  at  Weber  Sta- 
tion, Illinois,  on  the  Chicago  &  North-Western  Railway, 
Maynard,  Indiana,  and  Chicago  Heights,  Illinois. 
When  completed,  the  company  will  have  a  capacity 
of  1,250,000  brick  per  clay,  the  largest  output  of  any 
establishment  in  this  line  in  the  world,  not  a  trust  or  a 
combination.  The  company's  offices  are  at  84  La  Salle 
street. 

While  engaged  in  the  brick  business,  Mr.  Weber 
did  as  much  to  develop  and  improve  the  territory 
between  Chicago  and  Evanston  as  any  one  man.  As  a 


B.    F.    WEBER. 

builder,  he  erected  within  the  past  three  years  over  200 
first-class  residences  within  the  territory  from  Grace- 
land  avenue  on  the  south,  to,  and  including  Rogers 
Park  on  the  north.  He  has  improved  miles  of  streets 
with  first-class  paving  and  sidewalks  and  all  under- 
ground improvements.  Many  tracts  of  highly  improved 
property  are  the  best  testimonials  of  his  efforts. 

He  has  also  built  several  miles  of  railroad  extending 


228 


THE    CITY    OF   CHICAGO. 


from  Oakton  avenue  to  Peterson  avenue  along  the 
township  line  between  Evanston  and  Niles.  This  terri- 
tory owes  its  appreciation  in  land  values  solely  to  his 
efforts,  being  formerly  one  vast  unimproved  semi-wil- 
derness. It  now  has  large  manufacturing  plants  employ- 
ing a  thousand  or  more  people. 

Mr.  Weber  has  entirely  withdrawn  from  public 
affairs  in  which  he  formerly  took  considerable  part, 
having  served  in  both  the  Thirty-second  and  Thirty- 
third  General  Assemblies  as  representative  from  the 
old  Sixth  senatorial  district,  which  comprised  all  the 
towns  in  Cook  County  outside  of  the  then  limits  of 
the  City  of  Chicago.  He  also  served  two  terms  as 
assessor  and  member  of  the  board  of  trustees  of  the 
Town  of  Lake  View,  and  was  elected  and  served  two 
terms  in  the  city  council,  after  the  annexation  of  Lake 
View  to  the  City  of  Chicago  in  1895.  He  was  appointed 
election  commissioner  by  Judge  Scales,  which  office  he 
subsequently  resigned  to  accept  from  Governor  Altgeld 
a  place  on  the  Lincoln  Park  Board. 

Mr.  Weber  was  married  October  14,  1884,  to  Miss 
Anna  M.  Kransz,  daughter  of  Nicholas  Kransz,  one  of 
the  earliest  settlers  and  prominent  citizens  of  Lake 
View.  This  union  was  blessed  with  seven  children, 
three  of  whom  are  deceased.  Those  living  are:  Clar- 
ence J.,  Cassius  M.,  Cressie  O.,  and  Bernard  F.,  Jr.  He 
is  a  member  of  Our  Lady  of  Lourdes  parish,  of  which 
he  is  a  regular  attendant,  belongs  to  North  Shore 
Court,  Catholic  Order  of  Foresters,  and  is  also  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Knights  of  Columbus. 

Mr.  Weber  is  a  member  of  the  Ravenswood  Club, 
Illinois  Athletic,  and  other  social  organizations. 

Rudolph  S.  Blome,  senior  member  of  the  well-known 
firm  of  Rudolph  S.  Blome  Company,  cement  paving  and 
concrete  contractors,  is  one  of  the  best  examples  of  what 
a  young  man  possessing  business  ability  can  accomplish 
in  the  metropolitan  city  of  the  West.  The  adage  of 
"young  blood  will  tell"  seems  to  be  especially  appro- 
priate in  this  instance,  for  although  only  slightly  more 
than  thirty  years  of  age  it  is  his  energy  that  has  been 
the  life  of  the  firm  ever  since  he  became  connected 
with  it. 

Mr.  Blome  was  borne  at  Monroe,  Michigan,  in  1871, 
and  after  graduating  from  the  local  high  school,  com- 
pleted his  studies  in  the  University  of  Michigan  at  Ann 
Arbor,  following  which  he  pursued  further  work  at  the 
University  of  Detroit.  He  then  came  to  Chicago  to 
become  identified  with  Mr.  Joseph  Stamsen  in  the 
cement  paving  business  and  in  1894  entered  into  part- 
nership with  him  under  the  firm  name  of  Stamsen  & 
Blome. 

Upon  the  death,  in  1896,  of  Mr.  Stamsen,  Mr.  Blome 
became  sole  proprietor  of  the  business  and  later  changed 
the  firm  name  to  Rudolph  S.  Blome  Company,  and  in 


January,  1904,  gave  an  interest  to  Mr.  William  Sinek, 
who  had  been  with  the  concern  a  number  of  years. 

Since  Mr.  Blome's  connection  with  the  business  this 
firm  has  executed  nearly  all  of  the  larger  contracts  of 
cement  floors  and  sidewalks,  concrete  foundations,  and 
other  forms  of  concrete  construction  in  and  about  Chi- 
cago. The  field  of  operations  has  extended  as  far  north 
as  Hamilton,  Canada,  east  to  Washington,  D.  C., 
south  to  Alabama  and  west  to  Salt  Lake  City,  and  the 
number  of  men  employed  increased  from  ninety  in  1894 
to  as  high  as  fourteen  hundred  in  1904. 

Some  idea  of  the  magnitude  of  the  operations  of  this 
concern  may  be  gained  from  the  fact  that  during  the 
greater  part  of  the  season  of  1904  they  were  at  work  in 


RUDOLPH    S.    BLOME. 

twenty-two  cities  outside  of  and  in  addition  to  Chicago. 
Also,  while  the  laying  of  cement  sidewalks  is  but  one 
of  the  many  forms  of  concrete  work  they  execute,  the 
firm  has  built  more  cement  sidewalks  than  any  other 
concern  in  the  world,  aggregating  on  December  31, 
1904,  slightly  more  than  26,000,000  feet. 

The  firm  occupies  large  and  well-appointed  offices 
on  the  bank  floor  of  the  Unity  Building,  79  Dearborn 
street,  where  all  business  comes  under  the  personal 
supervision  of  Mr.  Blome.  It  may  here  be  remarked 
that  the  success  and  envied  reputation  of  this  firm  are 
partially  due  to  the  fact  that  they  solicit  and  execute  a 
first-class  and  superior  grade  of  work  only,  as  is  proven 
by  the  vast  amount  of  their  work  now  in  use.  Mr. 
Blome  is,  and  has  been  for  three  successive  terms,  pres- 
ident of  the  Chicago  Concrete  Contractors'  Association. 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


229 


He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Builders  and  Traders 
Exchange,  and  the  Union  League,  Germania  Manner- 
chor,  Illinois,  Athletic  and  Marquette  clubs. 

The  Palmer  House,  located  at  State  and  Monroe 
streets  in  the  heart  of  the  retail  business  district,  main- 
tains its  position  as  one  of  the  leading  hotels  of  the  city, 
despite  the  fact  that  it  was  built  more  than  thirty  years 
ago.  Massive  in  size  and  built  of  the  finest  materials, 
mere  alterations  have  been  found  necessary  to  keep 
it  up  to  the  standard  of  the  hotels  more  recently  erected. 


conventions  of  various  mercantile  associations.  With 
its  781  guest  rooms,  the  hotel  ranks  as  one  of  the  largest 
in  America. 

Since  the  death  of  Potter  Palmer  a  change  has  been 
made  in  the  system  of  management.  The  Chicago 
Hotel  Company,  organized  in  1904,  leases  and  conducts 
the  house.  Willis  Howe,  for  many  years  manager  of 
the  house,  was  the  first  president  of  the  Chicago  Hotel 
Company  and  continued  in  charge  of  the  house  until 
the  spring  of  1905.  After  his  retirement,  W.  C.  Vier- 


PALMER    HOUSE. 


Within  the  last  ten  years  the  dining  rooms  have 
been  remodeled,  an  electric  light  plant  installed  and  a 
large  laundry  established  in  the  basement.  The  parlors 
have  been  redecorated  frequently  and  many  fine  paint- 
ings added  to  the  collection  that  was  already  on  the 
walls.  Only  recently  a  new  heating  plant  was  estab- 
lished in  the  basement  and  a  telephone  system  with 
wires  connecting  with  each  of  the  guest  rooms  installed. 

The  spacious  main  dining  room  on  the  parlor  floor 
of  the  hotel,  famous  in  years  gone  by,  is  perhaps  the 
scene  of  more  large  banquets  than  any  other  room  in 
Chicago.  The  club  rooms  are  also  a  favorite  place  for 


buchen,  for  many  years  head  clerk  in  the  hotel,  was 
elected  president  of  the  Chicago  Hotel  Company  and 
manager  of  the  house.  Mr.  Vierbuchen  still  retains 
the  position. 

The  history  of  the  hotel  is  known  to  most  Chi- 
cagoans.  Work  on  its  construction  was  begun  before 
the  great  fire  of  1871.  When  it  was  up  to  the  first 
floor  it  was  destroyed  with  many  of  the  neighboring 
buildings.  With  renewed  energy  Mr.  Palmer  began 
again  the  construction  of  one  of  the  best  and  most 
costly  hotels  in  America.  The  hotel  was  completed 
in  the  fall  of  1873. 


L'iiO 


THE    CITY    Or    CHICAGO. 


The  Auditorium  Hotel  opened  a  new  era  in  hotel 
construction  in  America.  Until  the  granite  pile  had 
been  built  at  the  northwest  corner  of  Michigan  boule- 
vard and  Congress  street,  there  was  not  an  entirely  non- 
combustible  hotel  in  the  country.  For  nearly  twenty 
years  previous  to  the  opening  of  the  hotel  in  1890,  there 
had  been  no  advancement  or  improvement  in  hotel  con- 
struction in  Chicago,  and  it  was  not  until  after  that  date 
that  the  first  fireproof  and  thoroughly  modern  hotel 
was  erected  in  New  York  City.  The  Auditorium  was, 
therefore,  in  a  sense,  the  pioneer  of  the  great,  magnifi- 
cent, indestructible,  palatial  hotels  of  America. 

Not  only  was  it,  when  first  completed  and  opened, 


regarded  as  the  most  beautiful  room  of  its  kind  in  the 
United  States,  and  the  grand  dining  room  on  the  tenth 
floor  which  is  even  larger  than  the  banquet  hall,  and  is 
also  frequently  used  for  banquets.  Other  dining  facili- 
ties of  the  Auditorium  proper  include  a  large  restaurant 
on  the  ground  floor,  and  a  grill  room  which  was  the 
first  to  be  opened  in  Chicago. 

The  World's  Columbian  Exposition  made  the 
erection  of  an  additional  building  necessary  and  in  1892 
ground  was  broken  at  the  southwest  corner  of  Michigan 
avenue  and  Congress  street,  and  the  construction  was 
begun  of  the  hotel  which  has  since  become  famous  all 
over  the  world  as  the  Auditorium  Annex.  This  is  a 


AUDITORIUM   HOTELS. 


a  magnificent  hotel  far  superior  to  anything  the  United 
States  had  seen  up  to  that  time,  but  it  contained  many 
other  than  the  hotel  features  and  some  of  them  were  of 
an  exceedingly  important  and  interesting  character. 

The  Auditorium  Hotel  was  so  named  from  the  fact 
that  the  building  contains  under  the  same  roof  with  the 
hotel,  an  auditorium  for  public  gatherings  which  is,  in 
fact,  the  largest  and  finest  opera  house  or  theater  west 
of  New  York  City.  The  fact  that  patrons  of  the  Audi- 
torium Hotel  may  attend  the  opera  or  other  entertain- 
ment in  the  Auditorium  theater  without  stepping  out 
of  doors  is  of  such  importance  as  to  need  only  passing 
mention. 

Other  features  of  the  original  Auditorium  building 
include  a  banquet  hall  on  the  sixth  floor,  which  is 


much  larger  hotel,  so  far  as  the  number  of  rooms  is  con- 
cerned, than  the  original  Auditorium,  and  the  entire 
structure  is  given  up  to  hotel  purposes. 

The  Auditorium  Annex  is  connected  with  the  Audi- 
torium proper  by  means  of  a  white  marble  tunnel 
directly  underneath  Congress  street.  Thus  it  is  that 
the  patrons  of  the  Auditorium  Hotel,  the  Auditorium 
Annex,  the  Congress  Apartments,  the  Auditorium 
Theater  and  Fine  Arts  building  are  easily  enabled  to 
intermingle,  passing  from  one  great  structure  to  the 
other  and  enjoying  all  the  privileges  and  features  of 
each  without  stepping  out  of  doors. 

So  great  has  been  the  success  of  the  Auditorium 
Annex  that  a  still  further  enlargement  of  this  magnifi- 
cent hotel  was  found  necessary,  and  in  the  spring  of 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


231 


1902  the  erection  was  begun  of  the  building  known  as 
the  Congress  Apartments. 

The  greater  portion  of  the  first  floor  of  the  new 
building  is  given  up  to  the  Pompeiian  room,  which, 
since  its  opening  last  autumn,  has  become  known  from 
one  end  of  the  country  to  the  other  as  an  apartment  of 
surpassing  grandeur  and  artistic  beauty,  the  counter- 
part of  which  has  never  been  heretofore  encountered 
in  hotel  construction  or  equipment.  The  prominent 
feature  and  chief  attraction  of  this  room  is  the  celebrated 
Tiffany  fountain,  which  was  on  exhibition  at  the  Pan- 
American  Exposition  in  Buffalo  and  was  considered  by 
many  visitors  as  one  of  its  most  attractive  features. 

The  location  of  the  Auditorium  Hotel  and  its 
annexes  is  superb.  Facing  Lake  Front  park,  near  the 
northern  terminus  of  Michigan  boulevard,  and  over- 
looking the  broad  expanse  of  Lake  Michigan,  its  sur- 
roundings and  environments  are  such  as  no  other  hotel, 
located  close  to  the  business  center  of  a  great  city, 
can  offer. 

The  Congress  Hotel  Company  has  recently 
acquired  the  two  lots  adjoining  its  property  on  the 
south,  and  known  as  Nos.  228  and  229  Michigan 
avenue.  It  is  intended  to  erect  on  these  lots  a  build- 
ing to  be  operated  in  connection  with  the  Annex 
hotel.  This  building  will  contain  about  150  guest 
rooms,  a  magnificent  banquet  hall  and  assembly 
rooms.  A  large  portion  of  the  first  floor  will  be  used 
to  enlarge  and  add  to  the  present  Pompeiian  room. 
This  new  building  will  be  built  on  a  magnificent  scale, 
in  keeping  with  the  Congress  Hotel  Company's 
properties. 

R.  H.  Southgate  is  president  of  the  Congress 
Hotel  Company,  which  owns  and  manages  the  three 
properties.  A.  G.  Bullock  is  the  vice-president  and 
Thomas  H.  Joyce,  secretary  and  treasurer.  The 
board  of  directors  consists  of  R.  H.  Southgate,  J. 
Frank  Lawrence,  G.  B.  Shaw,  R.  H.  Southgate,  Jr., 
J.  H.  Breslin,  A.  G.  Bullock  and  E.  H.  Carmack. 

R.  H.  Southgate  is  the  general  manager  of  all 
the  properties.  W.  S.  Shafer  is  assistant  manager  in 
charge  of  the  Auditorium  Hotel  and  J.  E.  Kennedy, 
of  the  Annex. 

The  Great  Northern  Hotel  is  one  of  the  best 
equipped  and  most  centrally  located  hostelries  in  the 
city.  Convenient  to  the  business  districts,  both 
wholesale  and  retail,  all  elevated  and  steam  railway 
stations  within  easy  reach,  and  near  to  the  theaters, 
it  has  become  the  recognized  headquarters  of 
commercial  men,  and  popular  with  the  traveling  pub- 
lic generally. 

Tt  is  a  fourteen-story  fireproof  structure,  fronting 
on  Jackson  boulevard,  Dearborn  and  Quincy  streets, 


with  400  rooms,  250  of  which  have  bathrooms  connect- 
ing. There  are  more  rooms  with  connecting  bathrooms 
at  the  Great  Northern  than  at  any  hotel  in  the  city. 
The  hotel  was  opened  in  1892.  and  the  number  of 
guests  since  then  have  averaged  400  a  day. 

At  the  present  writing,  improvements  costing  over 
$140,000  are  being  made  throughout  the  house.  A  new 
kitchen,  the  finest  in  the  city,  done  in  white  tile,  has 
recently  been  completed.  All  employees  in  the  kitchen 
are  dressed  in  spotless  white  uniforms,  giving  a  general 
aspect  of  cleanliness  not  generally  met  with  in  the 
kitchens  of  big  hotels  and  restaurants.  The  hotel  is  run 
strictly  on  the  European  plan.  A  cafe  on  the  parlor 
floor  and  a  grill  room  in  the  basement  furnish  ample 
accommodations  for  those  guests  who  wish  to  take 
advantage  of  the  excellent  cuisine  of  the  Great  North- 
ern. A  banquet  hall  on  the  parlor  floor  has  recently 
been  opened. 


GREAT  NORTHERN   HOTEL. 


232 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


Besides  the  usual  equipment  of  the  modern  hotel, 
every  room  in  the  Great  Northern  is  equipped  with  a 
long  distance  telephone,  an  advantage  which  only  a 
few  other  hotels  in  the  city  have.  What  is  said  to  be 
the  finest  and  most  complete  barber  shop  in  the  country, 


MAJESTIC   HOTEL. 


a  system  of  compressed  air  cleaning  throughout  the 
house,  and  an  $18,000  ^Eolian  organ  in  the  lobby  on 
which  nightly  concerts  are  given,  are  but  a  few  of  the 
features  which  attract  the  wayfarer  to  the  Great 
Northern. 

The  basement  of  the  hotel  presents  a  busy  scene, 
where  new  boilers  and  an  improved  system  of  heating 
are  being  installed.  A  new  electric  light  plant  has 
recently  been  finished. 

Hotel  Majestic  is  located  in  Ouincy  street,  between 
State  and  Dearborn  streets,  150  feet  from  the  main 
Dearborn  street  entrance  of  the  new  Chicago  postoffice. 
The  hotel  is  a  model  steel  structure  and  absolutely  fire- 
proof. Built  in  the  form  of  a  quadrangle  with  halls 
running  lengthwise,  every  room  is  an  outside  room, 
insuring  fresh  air  and  sunshine  to  every  patron.  All 
the  bathrooms  are  beautifully  finished  with  tile  and 
furnished  with  porcelain  bath  tubs,  marble  wash  stands 
and  nickel  trimmings.  Each  room  is  provided  with  a 
long  distance  telephone,  is  steam  heated,  lighted  by 
electricity  and  furnished  with  hot  and  cold  water  taps. 
It  is  no  exaggeration  to  say  that  the  Hotel  Majestic  is 
one  of  the  most  desirable  of  Chicago's  down-town 
hotels.  The  200  rooms  are  unexcelled  in  Chicago  for 
size  and  elegance  of  appointments,  light,  ventilation 
and  general  desirability.  The  rates  at  this  hotel  are 
extremely  reasonable  considering  the  nature  and  quality 
of  the  accommodations  provided.  At  the  top  of  the 
house  there  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  restaurants  in 
Chicago,  St.  Hubert's  Inn.  Situated  as  it  is  on  the 
seventeenth  floor,  it  affords  the  visitor  a  splendid  view 
of  Chicago,  Lake  Michigan  and  the  surrounding 
country. 

Hotel  Majestic  is  adjacent  to  the  great  down-town 
shopping  district.  All  street  car  lines  pass  within  one 
to  three  blocks  and  the  Board  of  Trade,  Stock 
Exchange,  banks,  large  office  buildings,  and  the  main 
jobbing  houses  of  Chicago  are  within  easy  walking 
distance,  making  it  one  of  the  most  desirable  hotels  in 
Chicago  for  patrons  to  whom  time  is  a  valuable  con- 
sideration. 

A  modern  compressed  air  vacuum  system  of  dust- 
less  cleaning  is  used  at  the  Majestic.  It  has  a  sta- 
tionary air-compressing  plant  in  its  basement,  with 
standpipes  connecting  all  floors.  By  this  method  all  the 
rooms  in  the  hotel  are  kept  sweet  and  clean  and  sani- 
tary. All  the  carpets,  rugs,  draperies,  upholstered  fur- 
niture, pillows,  mattresses,  etc.,  are  renovated  and 
cleaned  with  the  compressed  air  vacuum  system. 
"Fresh  Air"  is  the  motto  of  the  Majestic.  The  perfect 
ventilation  of  every  room  is  further  enhanced  by  the  use 
of  pure  atmosphere  in  removing  all  dust  and  microbes, 
producing  a  sanitary  condition  that  can  be  attained  in 
no  other  manner. 


CHAPTER   XXIV. 


PROMINENT  MEN,  PAST  AND   PRESENT. 


YRUS  HALL  McCORMICK,  in- 
ventor, manufacturer  and  benefac- 
tor, was  born  February  15,  1809,  at 
Walnut  Grove,  Rockbridge  County, 
Virginia.  The  surroundings  of  his 
early  life  were  extremely  pic- 
turesque, the  Blue  Ridge  towering 
above  the  valley  to  the  east,  the 
Alleghanies  not  far  away  on  the 
west,  and  the  valley  itself  presenting 
a  panorama  of  fields  and  waving 
grain,  interspersed  with  streams,  hills  and 
comfortable  homes.  Such  environment,  and  the 
inherited  genius  of  his  father,  together  with  the  prac- 
tical ability  of  his  mother,  all  combined  to  fit  him  for 
his  life  task. 

His  father,  Robert  McCormick,  was  a  farmer, 
possessing  one  thousand  eight  hundred  acres  of  excel- 
lent land,  upon  which  he  operated,  in  the  patriarchal 
fashion  of  the  South,  a  number  of  industries,  including 
a  flour  mill  and  saw  mill,  and  a  carpenter  and  blacksmith 
shop.  Characterized  by  tireless  industry  and  imbued 
with  mechanical  talent,  he  invented  a  number  of  devices 
to  simplify  the  labors  of  the  farm,  including  a  hemp 
break,  a  threshing  machine  and  a  tub-shaped  bellows  toi 
the  blacksmith  shop.  The  idea  of  constructing  a  reap- 
ing machine  as  a  means  of  saving  much  of  the  heavy 
work  and  time  consumed  in  harvest  had  engaged  his 
attention  for  many  years.  In  1816  he  made  a  crude  ma- 
chine in  his  own  shop,  in  which  he  sought  to  obtain  his 
object  by  means  of  a  row  of  upright  cylinders,  armed 
with  sickle  blades,  rotating  against  a  stationary  cutting 
edge.  The  several  stalks  fell  on  leather  straps,  which 
carried  them  to  one  side  and  threw  them  on  the  ground. 
The  contrivance  illustrated  the  inventor's  ingenuity,  but 
was  not  operative,  and  after  another  unsuccessful  trial  in 
1831  it  was  abandoned. 


The  son,  Cyrus  H.  McCormick,  who  had  gained 
partly  by  inheritance,  partly  by  practice,  a  love  for  the 
mechanical  arts,  watched  his  father's  experiments  and 
mechanical  work  in  many  lines  with  a  boy's  interest.  He 
attended  an  old  field  school  every  winter,  and  in  the 
open  months  of  the  year  learned,  by  his  own  experience 
in  the  work  of  the  farm,  the  importance  of  a  machine 
which  would  relieve  the  husbandman  of  his  heaviest  toil 
in  harvest  time. 

At  the  age  of  fifteen  he  constructed  an  ingenious, 
light  and  symmetrical  grain  cradle,  which  enabled  him 
to  keep  pace  in  reaping  with  the  workmen. 

In  1831  he  patented  a  hillside  plow,  to  throw  a  fur- 
row alternately  to  the  right  and  left,  and  in  1833  another 
improved  plow,  which  he  called  "self-sharpening." 

The  father's  experimental  reaping  machine,  laid  by, 
was  a  familiar  object  to  young  Cyrus  in  his  early  years, 
as  he  has  often  said.  In  1831  Cyrus  H.  McCormick, 
filled  with  the  idea  of  a  successful  reaper,  conceived  a 
machine  upon  an  entirely  different  plan,  and  with  re- 
markable energy  constructed  it  and  tried  it  in  the  field 
during  that  harvest.  The  operation  was  successful  and 
the  machine  thus  brought  forth,  by  meeting  the  difficul- 
ties which  had  baffled  previous  efforts,  determined  the 
line  of  future  development  of  harvesting  machinery. 
So  well  had  he  wrought  that  the  essential  features  of  the 
first  reaper  have  never  been  departed  from.  The  inventor 
used  in  this  machine  the  vibrating  blade,  operating  in 
fingers,  or  supports,  to  the  grain  being  cut,  a  principle 
which  has  been  retained  throughout  the  development  of 
the  reaper.  The  platform  for  receiving  the  cut  grain 
after  it  had  been  severed  by  the  cutting  apparatus,  and 
from  which  it  was  raked  to  the  side  in  gavels,  ready  to 
bind,  remains  the  same  in  principle  to-day.  The  neces- 
sity for  the  reel  to  bring  the  standing  grain  to  the  knife, 
and  finally  incline  it  upon  the  platform,  was  also  recog- 
nized in  this  first  machine.  The  divider  also  was  made 


233 


234 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


a  part  of  this  machine,  to  meet  the  difficulty  found  in 
separating  effectively  the  grain  which  was  cut  from  that 
left  standing.  The  construction  upon  two  wheels,  like  a 
cart,  thus  avoiding  the  awkwardness  of  some  previous 
attempts,  has  been  preserved,  as  well  as  the  concentra- 
tion of  most  of  the  weight  of  the  machine  upon  the 
driving  wheel,  a  feature  which  is  readily  seen  by  the 
practical  man  to  be  important. 

Much  thought  and  repeated  improvements  during 
the  first  twenty  years  had  combined  to  produce  a 
machine  that,  when  exhibited  at  the  World's  Fair  in 
London,  in  1851,  astonished  the  world  and  saved  the 
American  exhibit  from  being  regarded  as  commonplace, 
although  the  London  Times  had  ridiculed  the  McCor- 


CYRUS    HALL    McCORMICK. 

mick  reaper  before  the  exhibition  as  a  "cross  between 
an  Astley  (circus)  chariot,  a  wheelbarrow  and  a  flying 
machine."  It  was  compelled  to  acknowledge,  after  a 
test  had  been  made  in  the  fields,  that  this  machine  was 
"worth  to  the  farmers  of  England  the  whole  cost  of  the 
exhibition."  Writing  of  this  glorious  success,  Honor- 
able William  H.  Seward  said:  "So  the  reaper  of  1831, 
as  improved  in  1845,  achieved  for  its  inventor  a  triumph 
which  all  then  felt  and  acknowledged  was  not  more 
a  personal  one  than  it  was  a  national  one.  It  was  justly 
so  regarded.  No  general  or  consul,  drawn  in  a  chariot 
through  the  streets  of  Rome  by  order  of  the  Senate, 
ever  conferred  upon  mankind  benefits  so  great  as  he 
who  thus  vindicated  the  genius  of  our  country  at  the 
World's  Exhibition  of  Art  in  the  'Metropolis  of  the 
British  Empire  in  1851." 


Important  improvements  were  added  to  Mr.  McCor- 
mick's  machines,  and  they  constantly  led  in  the  race  to 
produce  the  best  machines  for  reaping  the  great  harvests 
of  the  world.  The  raker  and  driver  had  been  given 
seats  on  the  machine  by  1847,  and  the  one  was  relieved 
of  the  drudgery  of  walking  and  the  other  of  riding  a 
horse.  In  1858  experiments  were  made  with  the  self- 
rake  of  McClintock  Young,  and  machines  with  this 
invention  were  put  upon  the  market  in  1860.  Scylla  & 
Adams  had  in  1853  conceived  the  idea  of  making  a 
machine  upon  which  the  binders  could  ride.  Marsh 
Brothers  further  improved  this  in  1858.  and  Mr.  McCor- 
mick  had  such  a  machine  on  the  market  in  1873,  but 
not  much  was  done  with  this,  for  he  had  experimented 
with  a  wire  binder  in  1872,  and  had  such  harvesters 
ready  to  sell  in  1875.  The  twine  binder  was  already 
planned,  and  he  began  to  supply  them  to  the  trade 
in  1881. 

When  Mr.  McCormick  thus  saw  the  modern  machine 
develop  from  his  original  invention,  he  built  up  a  manu- 
facturing business  for  the  introduction  of  his  reaper 
to  the  markets  of  the  world,  and  thus  guided  its  subse- 
quent development  to  meet  the  demands  of  each 
successive  period.  He  had  the  satisfaction  of  developing 
in  this  manner  the  largest  business  of  its  kind  in  the 
world.  In  nearly  every  national  and  international  exhi- 
bition of  the  century,  Mr.  McCormick's  reaper  was 
awarded  the  first  honor,  and  he  himself  was  the  recipient 
of  many  marks  of  distinction.  From  the  first  machine  of 
1831  up  to  the  latest  Right-hand  Automatic  Binder 
of  1900,  there  has  been  a.  gradual  evolution  in  the 
McCormick  machines,  so  natural,  so  important  and  so 
far-reaching  in  their  benefits  to  bread  winners,  as  to 
place  his  name  high  on  the  roll  of  the  illustrious  men  of 
our  land.  But  his  life-work  would  not  be  adequately 
apprehended  if  we  should  stop  here.  He  was  a  philan- 
thropist and  benefactor  as  well.  In  1859  ne  proposed  to 
the  General  Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  to 
endow,  with  $100,000  the  professorships  of  a  theological 
seminary,  to  be  established  in  Chicago.  This  was  done, 
and  during  his  life-time  he  gave  about  half  a  million 
dollars  to  this  institution,  the  Presbyterian  Theological 
Seminary  of  the  Northwest,  now  McCormick  Theolog- 
ical Seminary.  The  McCormick  professorship  of  natural 
philosophy  in  Washington  and  Lee  University  of  Vir- 
ginia, and  gifts  to  the  Union  Theological  Seminary  at 
Hampden-Sidney,  and  to  other  colleges  under  Presby- 
terian influence,  also  attest  his  solicitude  for  the  church 
in  which  he  had  been  reared,  and  of  which  he  had  been 
a  member  since  1834.  In  1872  he  came  to  the  aid  of 
the  struggling  organ  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the 
Northwest,  The  Interior,  and  used  it  to  foster  union 
between  the  old  and  the  new  schools  in  the  church,  and 
to  aid  in  harmonizing  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the 
Northwest.  Under  his  care  and  advice  The  Interior 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


235 


grew  to  be  a  mighty  voice,  expressing  the  convictions, 
the  aspirations  and  hopes  of  a  great  church. 

In  1858  Mr.  McCormick  was  married  to  Miss  Nettie 
Fowler,  a  daughter  of  Melzar  Fowler  of  Jefferson 
County,  New  York.  Seven  children  were  born  to  them, 
of  whom  five  are  yet  living.  Mr.  McCormick  died  May 
13,  1884,  in  Chicago,  leaving  an  honored  name  to 
his  family. 

Potter  Palmer  is  one  of  the  best  known  names  in 
Chicago.  So  closely  was  Mr.  Palmer  identified  with 
the  early  growth  and  development  of  the  city  that  there 
is  hardly  a  landmark  in  it  that  does  not  bear  his  signet. 
For  fifty  years  he  was  a  conspicuous  figure  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  city  and  its  leading  commercial  character. 

He  was  born  in  Albany  County,  New  York,  May  20, 
1826,  the  son  of  Benjamin  and  Rebecca  (Potter)  Pal- 
mer. He  was  a  descendant  of  Walter  Palmer  who  was 
a  companion  of  John  Endicott,  colonial  governor  of 
Massachusetts,  1629,  who  later  settled  at  Wequete- 
quock,  Connecticut,  the  scene  of  present  day  re-unions 
of  the  Palmer  family.  Mr.  Potter's  early  ancestors  in 
America  were  attracted  to  the  sea.  Many  of  them  were 
established  at  New  Bedford,  Massachusetts,  where  they 
were  engaged  in  foreign  commerce.  Three  members 
of  the  family  were  lost  at  sea  in  one  year  and  this  so 
shocked  the  others  that  they  abandoned  the  sea.  The 
direct  ancestors  of  Potter  Palmer  moved  from  New 
Bedford  to  Albany  County,  New  York,  in  the  early 
part  of  the  nineteenth  century,  where  they  became 
prominently  connected  with  the  affairs  of  a  growing 
community.  Benjamin  Palmer,  father  of  Potter  Pal- 
mer, engaged  in  stock  raising,  and  at  one  time  owned 
three  large  stock  farms.  He  married  Rebecca  Potter, 
daughter  of  Samuel  and  Deborah  (Ricketson)  Potter. 

Potter  Palmer,  the  fourth  son  of  this  marriage, 
lived  with  his  parents  until  he  was  seventeen  years  old, 
when  he  left  home  for  the  purpose  of  learning  the  ways 
of  commerce  with  his  father's  promise  that  as  soon  as 
he  demonstrated  his  ability  he  would  supply  him  with 
the  needed  capital  to  start  him  in  business.  His  first 
work  was  as  a  clerk  in  a  country  store,  postoffice  and 
bank  at  Durham,  New  York.  Here  his  abilities  won 
speedy  recognition  and  at  the  end  of  two  years  he  was 
given  entire  charge  of  the  establishment. 

Shortly  thereafter  he  started  a  dry  goods  store 
in  Oneida,  New  York,  which  he  later  disposed  of  to 
open  a  larger  one  in  Lockport.  He  chafed  under  the 
stagnancy  of  small  towns  and  the  limit  on  his  capacities, 
and  he  determined  to  seek  a  larger  field  for  his  efforts. 
He  first  thought  of  going  to  New  York,  but  the  won- 
derful progress  then  being  made  in  the  Middle  West 
attracted  him  and  after  a  visit  to  Chicago  in  1852  he 
decided  to  move  here  and  establish  himself  as  a  dry 
goods  merchant.  After  selling  out  his  business  in 


Lockport  and  adding  the  capital  given  him  by  his 
father,  he  purchased  a  stock  of  goods  in  New  York 
and  opened  an  establishment  in  Lake  street,  which  was 
the  foundation  of  the  immense  fortune  he  amassed  and 
the  cornerstone  of  the  business  integrity  of  the  city. 
His  store  prospered  and  the  name  of  Potter  Palmer 
became  known  throughout  all  the  territory  tributary 
to  Chicago,  and  was  a  synonym  for  honesty  and  fair 
dealing  everywhere.  His  business  was  founded  upon 
his  known  insistence  upon  generous  dealing  and  full 
value  in  return  for  the  money  of  customers. 

Many  innovations  in  the  business  of  retailing  dry 
goods  were  inaugurated  by  the  young  merchant,  and 
though  they  were  bitterly  opposed  by  his  competitors 


POTTER    PALMER. 

all  of  them  have  since  been  adopted  and  though  they 
worked  a  revolution  of  the  business  modern  retail  dry 
goods  merchants  the  world  over  acknowledge  the  wis- 
dom of  them. 

Mr.  Palmer  was  the  first  to  start  the  bargain  day. 
He  was  the  first  to  set  aside  certain  days  for  the  sale 
of  certain  articles.  He  was  the  first  to  adopt  the  plan 
of  exchanging  goods  or  refunding  money  to  customers 
who  were  not  satisfied.  He  was  the  first  to  start  the 
general  and  extensive  advertising  that  is  now  a  feature 
of  all  retail  dry  goods  houses.  He  was  the  first  to 
arrange  show  windows  and  dress  and  decorate  them. 
He  was  the  first  to  inaugurate  the  system  of  delivering 
goods  to  the  homes  of  customers. 

These  innovations  rapidly  drew  trade  to  his  store 
and  while  his  competitors  opposed  him  they  were  one 
by  one  compelled  to  follow.  Under  this  plan  of  deal- 


236 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


ing  the  Potter  Palmer  establishment  soon  became 
known  as  the  largest  of  its  kind  in  the  northwest 
country  and  the  mere  association  of  the  name  of  the 
firm  with  the  name  of  the  city  resulted  in  a  greater 
confidence  being  placed  in  the  plans  proposed  by  the 
growing  metropolis  of  the  West  and  contributed  in 
itself  largely  to  the  development  of  the  place.  The 
head  of  the  firm  of  Macy  &  Company  of  New  York, 
heard  of  the  business  plans  of  the  young  Chicagoan 
and  a  special  agent  was  sent  to  Chicago  to  study  them. 
On  his  return  the  New  York  house  immediately  adopted 
them  and  after  a  few  years  the  same  plans  were  being 
put  into  practice  in  London,  Paris  and  Berlin. 

Through  all  Mr.  Palmer's  career  he  never  had  a 
business  partner.  All  his  work  was  accomplished  alone 
and  it  stands  a  monument  to  himself.  The  arduous 
labors  spent  in  the  building  up  of  his  business  and  in 
helping  the  city  generally  on  its  road  of  progress  told 
on  the  remarkable  abilities  in  the  end,  however.  The 
physical  and  mental  structures  were  not  able  to  with- 
stand the  strain,  and  in  1867,  on  the  advice  of  phy- 
sicians, Mr.  Palmer  gave  up  his  business  and  devoted 
several  years  to  rest  and  travel. 

The  business  he  had  built  up  was  turned  over  to 
Marshall  Field  and  Levi  Z.  Leiter,  and,  in  order  that 
they  might  begin  where  he  left  off,  under  the  most  aus- 
picious circumstances,  the  retiring  founder  of  the  firm 
left  them  his  name  and  part  of  his  capital.  For  several 
years  the  business  was  conducted  under  the  old  title, 
or  until  they  were  able  with  their  own  resources  to  con- 
trol the  business. 

After  nearly  three  years  spent  in  travel  Mr.  Palmer 
returned  to  Chicago,  bettered  in  health  and  eager  to 
get  into  the  world  of  affairs  once  again.  Still  acting 
under  the  advice  of  his  physicians,  he  decided  he  would 
not  take  up  the  more  confining  and  arduous  labor  of  his 
old  business,  and  he  determined  to  turn  his  millions 
into  real  estate.  It  was  this  decision  that  has  resulted 
in  a  greater  good  to  Chicago  than  the  decision  of  any 
other  one  man. 

State  street  then  was  a  narrow,  ill-kept  and 
unsightly  thoroughfare.  The  main  street  of  the  city 
was  Lake  street.  As  his  far-seeing  judgment  told 
him  the  best  foundation  upon  which  to  build  his  dry 
goods  business,  an  equal  prescience  told  him  that  if 
Chicago  was  to  grow  ,its  main  thoroughfare  must  run 
parallel  with  the  Lake  Front,  and  he  set  about  the  task 
of  turning  the  tide  of  the  city's  business  from  east  and 
west  to  north  and  south.  He  bought  the  land  on  either 
side  of  State  street  for  more  than  a  mile,  fought  through 
the  city  council  a  bill  widening  the  street  twenty  feet 
and  providing  for  its  paving,  and  he  then  used  his  sur- 
plus capital  in  erecting  one  after  another  the  finest  com- 
mercial buildings  the  city  had  then  seen.  The  irregular, 
poorly-built  structures  gave  way  to  the  handsome  new 


buildings,  the  narrow  ill-drained  street  was  widened 
into  the  State  street  of  to-day,  and  as  if  by  magic  the 
commercial  enterprises  on  Lake  street  turned  to  the 
new  thoroughfare  and  in  the  space  of  a  few  years  the 
whole  tide  of  the  city's  business  had  been  turned  into 
a  new  and  better  channel. 

Then  came  the  fire  of  1871,  and  the  flames  swept 
out  the  patient  work  of  years.  When  the  fire  had  at 
last  been  extinguished  the  general  scene  of  devastation 
seemed  to  spell  ruin  for  the  man  whose  millions  had 
been  swept  away  as  well  as  for  the  city  itself.  With 
equal  courage,  however,  the  man  and  the  city  turned 
to  the  work  of  rebuilding.  Though  the  fire  had 
destroyed  in  all  thirty-two  buildings  belonging  to  Mr. 
Palmer,  his  credit  enabled  him  to  borrow  $1,700,000 
from  the  Mutual  Life  Insurance  Company  of  Connecti- 
cut, the  largest  sum  that  had  till  then  been  loaned  by 
that  company,  and  with  his  new  capital  he  set  about 
building  even  finer  structures  in  the  place  of  those 
destroyed.  The  State  street  of  to-day  speaks  eloquently 
of  his  success. 

The  turning  thus  of  the  entire  life  of  a  city  was  not 
the  only  achievement  of  the  man.  After  he  had  accom- 
plished that  he  spent  thousands  of  dollars  in  the  pur- 
chase of  the  then  waste  and  swamp  lands  north  of  Chi- 
cago avenue  and  east  of  Rush  street.  In  a  few  years 
he  had  turned  the  swamps  and  sand  dunes  into  the  most 
valuable  property  district  in  the  city.  It  bordered  the 
Lake  Front  and  was  bounded  on  the  north  by  Lincoln 
Park  and  to  the  south  abutted  the  expanding  business 
district  of  the  city.  The  Lake  Front  was  parked  and 
inside  it  the  beautiful  Lake  Shore  Drive  was  laid  out 
and  the  homes  of  Chicago's  wealthiest  and  most  exclu- 
sive now  border  it,  facing  the  lake  and  looking  upon 
the  same  scene  toward  which  Mr.  Palmer  faced  his  own 
magnificent  residence,  almost  midway  between  the  ends 
of  the  fashionable  driveway. 

In  1871  Mr.  Palmer  married  Bertha,  daughter  of 
Henry  H.  Honore,  a  prominent  capitalist  and  real  estate 
holder  of  Chicago.  Through  all  his  efforts  in  the  build- 
ing up  of  the  city  she  was  his  constant  aid  and  it  was 
largely  through  her  encouragement  that  the  hard  days 
following  the  fire  were  safely  bridged.  By  his  mar- 
riage he  had  two  sons,  Honore  and  Potter  Palmer, 
who  have  both  risen  to  prominence  in  the  life  of  the 
city. 

During  his  long  years  there  were  few  projects  of 
worth  that  did  not  receive  his  support,  and  that  sup- 
port was  usually  material.  He  was  an  incorporator 
of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce,  an  early  member  of  the 
Chicago  Library  Association  and  one  of  the  first  sub- 
scribers to  the  Chicago  May  festivals.  He  was  one  of 
the  three  founders  of  the  Chicago  Interstate  Industrial 
Exposition  and  vice-president  and  director  of  the 
World's  Columbian  Exposition,  to  which  he  contrib- 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


237 


utect  both  time  and  money  and  through  his  efforts  it 
was  crowned  with  success.  Mrs.  Palmer  was  chief  of 
the  Women's  Commission  of  the  fair  and  contributed 
largely  to  the  success  of  the  enterprise. 

Though  he  was  always  keenly  interested  in  matters 
of  public  welfare  and  took  an  active  part  in  them  when 
it  was  for  the  interest  of  Chicago,  he  did  not  care  for 
the  distinction  which  comes  from  holding  public  office. 
He  preferred  the  pleasure  of  accomplishment  more  than 
the  honor  of  mere  position.  In  1870  he  declined  the 
Interior  portfolio  in  President  Grant's  cabinet.  On 
many  other  occasions  he  was  offered  positions  of  politi- 
cal honor,  but  he  declined  them  all.  His  one  position 
that  might  be  called  political  was  as  commissioner  of 
the  South  Park  board.  That  he  accepted  in  order  that 
he  might  be  instrumental  in  beautifying  the  south  end 
of  the  city  by  laying  out  a  splendid  boulevard  system 
in  that  section  of  the  town.  The  result  of  his  work 
speaks  for  itself.  It  was  largely  through  his  efforts  that 
Chicago  can  now  boast  of  the  finest  park  system  in 
the  world,  and  in  the  most  complete  boulevard  system 
connecting  all  the  parks  in  a  continuous  driveway. 

No  man  ever  worked  more  for  the  joy  of  working 
and  less  for  self-aggrandizement.  He  died  in  Chicago, 
May  4,  1902. 

Philip  Danforth  Armour,  son  of  Danforth  and  Juli- 
anna  (Brooks)  Armour,  was  born  at  Stockbridge,  Mad- 
ison County,  New  York,  May  16,  1832.  His  parents, 
who  were  farmers,  gave  their  family  of  six  boys  and  two 
girls  such  educational  advantages  as  were  to  be 
obtained  in  the  near-by  country  schools,  and  some  of  the 
children  also  attended  a  neighboring  village  seminary. 
Among  them  was  Philip,  and  many  anecdotes  have 
been  told  of  his  boyish  pranks  while  a  student  at  that 
institution. 

During  the  winter  of  1851-52,  Mr.  Armour  was 
one  of  a  small  party  that  succumbed  to  the  California 
gold  craze,  and  in  the  early  spring  of  1852  this  band 
of  goldseekers  began  their  journey  toward  the  far 
West.  Six  months  later  they  reached  their  destina- 
tion, having  traveled  by  the  overland  route,  and  encoun- 
tering all  the  hardships  incident  to  making  the  trip  in 
this  manner. 

Mr.  Armour  returned  to  the  East  in  1856,  after 
having  had  a  varied  experience  in  mining  enterprises, 
and  it  was  conjectured  at  the  time  that  he  brought 
back  with  him  considerable  of  the  golden  dust,  but 
the  facts  of  this  interesting  matter  are  known  only  to 
himself.  He  devoted  a  few  weeks  to  visiting  his  parents, 
after  which  he  again  started  West,  this  time  locating  in 
Milwaukee.  Here  he  formed  a  partnership  with  Fred- 
erick B.  Miles  in  the  commission  business.  This  firm 
continued  until  1863,  when  Mr.  Armour  became  asso- 
ciated with  John  Plankinton  in  the  pork-packing 


industry.  This  venture  was  probably  the  turning  point 
in  Mr.  Armour's  career,  since  Mr.  Plankinton  had  for 
many  years  been  connected  with  Frederick  Layton,  one 
of  Milwaukee's  pioneer  residents,  and  not  only  stood 
high  and  commanded  the  respect  of  the  citizens  of  Mil- 
waukee, but  had  also  built  up  an  industry  of  no.  small 
magnitude.  This  partnership  enjoyed  a  thriving  busi- 
ness, and  the  fluctuations  in  the  price  of  provisions  at 
the  close  of  the  war  left  the  firm  a  fortune. 

Mr.  Armour's  brother,  Herman  O.  Armour,  had 
established  himself  in  Chicago  in  1862  in  the  grain  com- 
mission business,  but  three  years  later  he  was  induced 
to  surrender  his  interests  here  to  a  younger  brother, 
Joseph  F.  Armour,  and  take  charge  of  a  new  firm  in 


PHILIP    DANFORTH    ARMOUR. 

New  York,  under  the  name  of  Armour,  Plankinton  & 
Company.  The  firm  name  of  H.  O.  Armour  &  Company 
was  continued  in  Chicago,  however,  until  1870.  They 
continued  to  handle  grain,  and  commenced  packing 
hogs  in  1868.  This  part  of  the  business,  however,  was 
conducted  under  the  firm  name  of  Armour  &  Company, 
and  in  1870  the  firm  of  Armour  &  Company  assumed 
all  the  business  transacted  at  Chicago. 

In  1871,  in  order  to  keep  abreast  of  the  demands  of 
the  market,  the  firm  of  Plankinton  &  Armour  was 
established  at  Kansas  City,  under  the  charge  of  Simeon 
B.  Armour,  and  in  1875  Philip  D.  Armour  came  to 
Chicago,  where  he  resided  until  his  death,  January  6, 
1901.  Mr.  Armour  gave  largely  of  his  wealth  to  various 
charitable  and  educational  institutions,  to  say  nothing 
of  his  numerous  gifts  toward  other  worthy  enterprises, 
and  the  various  other  endowments  of  which  no  public 


238 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


mention  has  been  made.  In  1881,  upon  the  death  of 
his  brother,  Joseph  F.  Armour,  he  was  given  charge  of 
a  trust  of  $100,000,  with  which  to  found  an  institution 
whose  purpose  should  be  to  reach  the  people  with  the 
teachings  and  influences  of  the  gospel  of  Christ,  and  to 
insure  the  care  and  development  of  the  children  and 
youth  of  that  part  of  Chicago  where  it  should  be  located. 
Mr.  Armour  took  his  brother's  bequest  as  a  suggestion, 
and  his  benefaction  has  multiplied  the  amount  many 
times,  his  own  gift  reaching  the  sum  of  two  millions 
of  dollars.  The  result  has  been,  not  only  the  building 
of  the  Armour  Mission,  but  the  Armour  flats,  and  later 
the  Armour  Institute,  the  public  being  made  aware  of 
the  latter  gift  on  Christmas  Eve,  1892. 

Mr.  Armour  was  married  at  Cincinnati  in  1862  to 
Miss  Belle  Ogden,  daughter  of  Jonathan  Ogden.  Two 
sons  have  been  born  to  them,  Jonathan  Ogden  Armour 
and  Philip  D.  Armour,  Jr.,  who  died  January,  1900. 

Gustavus  Franklin  Swift  was  born  June  24,  1839, 
at  Sandwich,  Cape  Cod,  Massachusetts,  and  died  in 
Chicago,  March  29,  1903,  at  the  age  of  sixty-three. 

Mr.  Swift  was  one  of  eight  sons  in  a  family  of  twelve 
children.  His  parents  were  plain  New  England  people, 
his  father  being  a  farmer,  the  boys  working  on  the  farm 
in  their  younger  days.  Feeling  that  his  father's  farm 
was  not  capable  of  supporting  the  entire  family,  Gus- 
tavus F.  Swift  determined  to  branch  out  into  some 
other  occupation  and  obtained  employment  with  the 
town  butcher  at  Sandwich.  Having  acquired  a  knowl- 
edge of  butchering,  he  decided  after  a  few  years  to  go 
into  the  business  for  himself  and  started  with  a  peddling 
wagon,  selling  from  house  to  house.  He  afterwards 
moved  to  Barnstable.  Massachusetts,  where  he  con- 
tinued his  business  and  established  a  small  slaughter 
house. 

On  January  3,  1861,  Mr.  Swift  was  married  to  Annie 
M.  Higgins,  and  continued  to  reside  at  Barnstable  until 
1869,  when  he  moved  to  Brighton,  Massachusetts,  a 
suburb  of  Boston,  which  was  then  the  principal  live 
stock  market  of  New  England. 

Shortly  after  his  arrival  in  Brighton,  he  entered  the 
employ  of  J.  A.  Hathaway,  subsequently  becoming  a 
partner  under  the  firm  name  of  Hathaway  &  Swift. 
They  bought  cattle  in  Albany  and  Buffalo  and  shipped 
the  animals  to  Brighton,  Mr.  Swift  visiting  the  cattle 
markets  and  making  most  of  the  purchases. 

It  was  about  this  time  that  Chicago  began  to 
attract  attention  as  a  live  stock  center  and  Mr.  Swift 
bought  cattle  in  Chicago  for  eastern  shipment  to  his 
firm.  In  1875  he  moved  his  family  to  Chicago  and  the 
partnership  with  Mr.  Hathaway  was  dissolved,  Mr. 
Swift  going  into  business  under  the  firm  name  of  Swift 
Bros.  &  Co. 


During  the  year  1877  Mr.  Swift  started  to  slaughter 
cattle  in  the  Union  Stock  Yards,  Chicago,  and  in  the 
winter  of  that  year  he  first  shipped  dressed  beef  from 
Chicago  to  eastern  markets,  using  ordinary  box  cars  for 
the  railroad  journey.  The  idea  was  at  first  considered 
impracticable,  but  as  the  result  proved  profitable,  ship- 
ments were  continued  until  the  refrigerator  car  finally 
solved  the  problem  of  transporting  fresh  meat  over  long 
distances.  From  this  time  the  business  increased  rap- 
idly and  the  firm  prospered. 

In  1885  Swift  &  Company  was  incorporated  with 
$300,000  capital  and  Mr.  Swift  elected  president,  the 
corporation  taking  over  the  business  of  Swift  Bros. 


GUSTAVUS   FRANKLIN    SWIFT. 

&  Co.  In  1905  the  company  had  a  capital  of  $35,- 
000,000  and  had  over  25,000  employees  on  its  payroll. 

Mr.  Swift  made  it  a  rule  to  keep  in  close  touch  with 
all  branches  of  his  business  and  was  familiar  with  every 
detail  of  it.  He  was  a  firm  believer  in  quality  and 
constantly  aimed  to  produce  the  best  in  all  the  varied 
products  manufactured  by  the  modern  packing  house. 

The  exceptional  growth  of  Swift  &  Company  can 
be  directly  traced  to  the  successful  management  and 
rare  executive  ability  of  the  man  who  conducted  its 
affairs  from  its  inception  until  within  a  few  clays  of  his 
death  in  1903.  He  was  always  enthusiastic  about  his 
business  and  had  the  faculty  of  instilling  that  enthu- 
siasm into  his  associates  and  employees.  He  was  a  man 
typical  of  his  time  and  was  quick  to  see  the  advantage 
of  any  new  idea  which  could  be  applied  to  the  packing 
industry.  The  continual  development  of  scientific 
methods  for  the  handling  of  by-products,  of  economy 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


239 


in  operation  and  of  mechanical  refrigeration  were  all 
factors  contributing-  to  the  success  of  the  Swift  business 
and  he  who  was  ever  on  the  alert  to  further  the  interests 
of  the  company  took  the  greatest  personal  pride  in  its 
expansion  and  progress. 

It  is  perhaps  worthy  of  remark  that  his  success  was 
won  by  strictly  business  methods.  He  was  not  a  specu- 
lator, although  there  was  no  keener  judge  of  market 
conditions  and  no  one  knew  better  than  he  the  trend 
of  trade  affairs. 

Among  his  employees  he  was  as  plain  and  matter-of- 
fact  as  when  he  was  comparatively  poor.  Many  of  the 
men  who  had  been  employed  under  him  for  years,  he 
knew  intimately  and  he  was  familiar  with  the  names 
of  scores. 

Outside  of  his  business  his  whole  life  interest  was 
centered  in  his  home  and  his  church.  His  home  life 
was  ideal  and  he  left  behind  him  a  family  consisting 
of  his  widow;  two  daughters  and  seven  sons.  His 
eldest  son,  Louis  F.  Swift,  is  now  president  of  the  com- 
pany, and  Edward  F.  Swift  is  vice-president,  and  all  of 
the  other  sons,  with  the  exception  of  the  youngest,  are 
connected  with  the  company. 

Mr.  Swift's  charities  were  numerous,  but  little  was 
heard  of  his  gifts,  as  he  was  much  opposed  to  having 
such  matters  made  public.  Many  educational. institu- 
tions and  scores  of  struggling  churches  all  over  the 
country  were  constant  recipients  from  his  thoughtful 
and  kindly  purse. 

Coming  to  Chicago  at  a  time  when  that  city  was 
on  the  threshold  of  its  commercial  glory,  Gustavus 
Franklin  Swift  foresaw  the  many  opportunities  lying 
before  him  and  the  vast  work  he  constructed  and  per- 
fected is  a  fitting  monument  to  his  greatness. 

Philip  F.  W.  Peck  came  to  Chicago  in  1830,  when 
the  city  was  nothing  but  a  frontier  post,  known  as  Fort 
Dearborn.  He  came  by  sailing  vessel  from  Buffalo 
and  brought  with  him  from  the  East  a  stock  of  goods, 
proposing  to  locate  here  or  continue  south.  The  natu- 
ral advantages  of  this  point,  however,  and  the  future 
which  he  foresaw  for  it,  induced  him  to  decide  upon 
remaining. 

Born  in  Providence,  Rhode  Island,  in  1809,  Mr. 
Peck  had  been  brought  up  in  New  England,  which  had 
been  the  home  of  several  generations  of  his  ancestors, 
the  American  progenitor  of  the  family  having  immi- 
grated to  that  region  from  England  some  time  before 
the  middle  of  the  seventeenth  century.  His  educational 
and  industrial  training  had  been  of  that  practical  kind 
which  the  men  who  became  pioneers  in  building  up 
western  trade  and  commerce  had  generally  received. 

He  grew  to  manhood  with  correct  habits,  a  capacity 
for  close  application  to  business,  and  a  comprehensive 
knowledge  of  the  principles  which  govern  the  building- 


up  of  centers  of  commercial  activity.  He  was  ambi- 
tious, enterprising  and  self-reliant,  and,  as  his  subse- 
quent career  demonstrated,  had  a  genius  for  finance, 
and  was  possessed  of  unusual  business  foresight. 

He  came  to  Chicago  with,  or  perhaps  shortly  before, 
Captain  Joseph  Napier,  founder  of  the  town  of  Naper- 
ville — at  one  time  the  county  seat  of  DuPage  County — 
and  was  for  a  short  time  associated  with  the  latter  in 
business.  His  first  merchandising  operations  in  Chi- 
cago were  carried  on  in  a  small  log  building,  which  he 
erected  near  old  Fort  Dearborn,  in  1831,  and  which  he 
occupied  until  the  fall  of  the  same  year. 

At  that  time  he  had  completed — or  at  least  had  got 
in    fit    condition    for    occupancy — a    two-story    frame 


PHILIP   F.   W.    PECK. 

building,  located  at  what  is  now  the  southeast  corner 
of  South  Water  and  La  Salle  streets,  into  which  he 
moved  his  stock  of  goods.  But  one  frame  building  had 
been  erected  in  Chicago  prior  to  that  time,  and  Mr. 
Peck's  building  was,  in  fact,  the  first  of  this  character 
to  be  used  as  a  "store  building."  The  land  upon  which 
this  building  was  located  is  still  owned  by  members  of 
his  family. 

It  was  in  the  unfinished  second  story  of  this  building 
that  the  first  Sunday-school  organized  in  Chicago  held 
some  of  its  earliest  meetings,  and  in  which  also  the 
Rev.  Jeremiah  Porter,  the  first  minister,  to  hold  regular 
religious  services  in  the  town,  established  his  study  and 
found  a  lodging  place.  It  was  in  this — for  that  time — 
superior  structure,  too,  that  Mr.  Peck  laid  the  founda- 
tion of  a  fortune,  which  has  since  been  developed  into  a 
rich  estate.  Here  he  carried  on  the  business  of  mer- 


240 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


chandizing  until  such  time  as  it  became  necessary  for 
him  to  give  his  whole  attention  to  his  realty  interests 
and  the  care  of  his  growing  fortune. 

A  resident  of  Chicago  two  years  before  it  had 
a  recognized  corporate  or  municipal  existence,  Mr. 
Peck  was  a  pioneer  of  the  pioneers.  He  was  one  of  the 
volunteers  who  went  out  from  the  straggling  settle- 
ment around  Fort  Dearborn  to  aid  in  suppressing  the 
famous  Indian  chief,  Black  Hawk,  in  1832,  and  he 
helped  to  organize  the  settlement  into  a  town  in  1833. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  first  fire  company  organized  in 
Chicago  and  a  voter  at  the  first  city  election.  The  first 
brick  dwelling  erected  in  the  city — at  the  corner  of 
Washington  and  La  Salle  streets — was  built  by  Mr. 
Peck  as  a  residence  in  1836,  and  the  site  is  also  still 
owned  in  the  family.  He  was  "in  at  the  birth"  of  the 
town,  witnessed  the  transition  from  town  to  village, 
from  village  to  city,  and  from  a  provincial  city  to  the 
great  metropolis  of  the  Northwest,  and,  two  weeks  be- 
fore his  death,  which  resulted  from  an  accident  and 
occurred  on  the  23d  of  October,  1871,  he  saw  the  city 
that  had  sprung  up  under  his  observation  practically 
swept  out  of  existence  by  the  great  fire  of  that  year. 
Such  are  not  the  experiences  of  an  ordinary  lifetime. 

The  accumulator  of  a  large  fortune,  Mr.  Peck  dem- 
onstrated that  adherence  to  approved  and  conservative 
business  methods  builds  up  more  substantial  estates 
than  those  which  result  from  speculative  enterprises.  A 
sagacious  and  far-seeing  man,  who  had  always  great 
confidence  in  the  continued  growth  and  prosperity  of 
Chicago,  he  was  never  carried  away  by  the  speculative 
excitements  which  swept  over  the  city  from  time  to 
time,  to  be  followed  by  corresponding  periods  of  busi- 
ness depression  and  financial  distress.  His  own  affairs 
were  kept  so  well  in  hand  that  he  passed  safely  through 
financial  crises  like  those  of  1837  and  "857,  when  many 
of  his  contemporaries  met  with  reverses  from  which 
they  never  recovered. 

These  periods  of  general  business  depression  did  not 
weaken  even  temporarily  his  faith  in  the  ultimate 
growth  and  prosperity  of  Chicago,  but  rather  had  the 
effect  of  stirndlating  him  to  make  investments  at  the 
more  advantageous  terms  offered  under  such  circum- 
stances. His  conservatism  was  such  that  he  met  with 
no  reverses  of  consequence  during  his  business  career, 
and  his  fortune  grew  steadily  from  the  date  of  his  com- 
ing to  Chicago  to  that  of  his  death. 

In  1835  he  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  K.  Wythe,  a 
Philadelphia  lady,  of  English  parentage,  a  niece  of  the 
celebrated  Baptist  divine,  Dr.  Staughton  of  Phila- 
delphia. She  died  in  1899.  Their  family  consisted  of 
eight  children,  all  of  whom  were  born  in  this  city.  Four 
of  them  died  in  infancy,  and  one  of  the  sons,  Harold 
S.  Peck,  died  some  years  since.  The  other  sons,  Wal- 
ter L.,  Clarence  I.  and  Ferdinand  W.  Peck,  are  all 


leading  citizens  of  Chicago,  which  they  have  greatly 
benefited  by  their  enterprise  and  public  spirit.  The 
latter  has  become  widely  known  through  various  public 
institutions  with  which  he  has  been  prominently  con- 
nected and  the  public-spirited  enterprises  which  he  has 
projected.  He  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Illinois 
Humane  Society  and  also  of  the  Chicago  Athenaeum, 
of  which  he  is  the  president,  and  the  vice-president  and 
chairman  of  the  Finance  Committee  and  one  of  the 
directors  of  the  World's  Columbian  Exposition  of  1893. 
He  conceived  the  idea  of  the  renowned  Auditorium 
building,  containing  a  vast  auditorium  hall,  a  hotel  and 
other  features,  organized  the  company  for  its  erection, 
and,  as  its  president,  carried  it  through  to  completion 
and  successful  operation. 

This  great  building  is  to-day  the  pride  of  Chicago, 
an  object  almost,  if  not  quite,  as  conspicuous  among 
the  splendid  structures  by  which  it  is  surrounded  as 
was  the  framed  store  building  built  by  the  elder  Peck 
among  the  log  shanties  of  Chicago  seventy-four  years 
ago.  He  was  also  commissioner-general  of  the  Paris 
exposition  of  1900,  appointed  by  President  McKinley. 

David  R.  Fraser,  deceased,  was  born  at  Berwick-on- 
the-Tweed,  Scotland,  on  May  18,  1824.  He  came  to 
this  country  in  1848,  and  obtained  employment  in  a 
machine  shop  in  Pittsburg.  That  same  year  he 
removed  to  Chicago,  entering  the  'ehiploy  of  Gates  & 
Hoag,  later  Gates  &  McKnight.  One  of  his  fellow 
employees  was  Thomas  Chalmers,  with  whom  he  created 
the  firm  of  Fraser  &  Chalmers  twenty-three  years  later. 
In  1850  Mr.  Fraser  was  struck  by  the  gold  craze  that 
swept  the  country  and  crossed  the  plains  to  California, 
but  fever  and  ague  drove  him  back,  he  returning  by 
way  of  Panama. 

In  1852  he  returned  to  California,  where  he  secured 
a  position  in  a  machine  shop,  but  the  climate  did  not 
agree  with  him,  and  he  returned  to  Chicago,  becoming 
foreman  in  the  locomotive  works  of  Scoville  &  Sons, 
which  stood  on  the  site  now  occupied  by  the  Union 
depot  at  Canal  and  Adams  streets.  He  superintended  the 
construction  of  the  first  locomotive  ever  built  in  Chi- 
cago, and  personally  ran  it  over  the  plank  road  on  Canal 
street  up  to  Kinzie  street,  delivering  it  to  the  old  Galena 
&  Chicago  Railroad.  In  1854,  when  the  Scoville 
works  shut  down,  Mr.  Fraser  became  associated  with  P. 
W.  Gates  &  Co.,  where  he  built  engines  by  contract. 
He  served  as  foreman  until  1857,  when  he  became  a 
partner  of  the  firm.  Later  on  he  aided  in  organizing 
the  Eagle  Works  Manufacturing  Company  at  the  corner 
of  Canal  and  Washington  streets.  Both  he  and  Mr. 
Chalmers  were  stockholders  and  superintendents  in  this 
enterprise.  After  the  fire  in  1871  the  business  \vas  aban- 
doned and  the  firm  of  Fraser  &  Chalmers  established. 


THE    CITY    OP    CHICAGO. 


241 


It  retained  its  name  until  1890,  when  it  was  purchased 
by  an  English  syndicate. 

In  1890  Mr.  Fraser  went  to  England  and  erected 
the  English  works  of  Fraser  &  Chalmers,  Ltd.,  at  Frith 
on  the  Thames,  a  short  distance  from  London.  He 
remained  there  for  three  years,  until  the  works  were 
completed,  except  for  an  occasional  trip  to  Chicago  to 


DAVID    R.    FRASER. 

assume  charge  of  the  local  factory  when  it  was  deluged 
with  orders  for  mining  machinery.  His  executive  ability 
in  shop  management  was  remarkable ;  it  alone  enabled 
the  firm  to  meet  its  orders.  He  retired  from  active  busi- 
ness in  1893,  though  he  was  vice-president  and  largest 
stockholder  of  the  Chicago  Portland  Cement  Company, 
of  which  his  son,  Norman  D.  Fraser,  is  president.  On 
May  29,  Mr.  Fraser  was  stricken  with  apoplexy,  and 
after  twenty-four  hours  of  unconsciousness  he  suc- 
cumbed, at  the  ripe  age  of  eighty. 

He  was  married  in  November,  1851,  to  Miss  Lydia 
H.  Scoville.  Three  children  were  born  to  them :  Airs. 
E.  F.  Minor,  Mrs.  W.  F.  Main  and  Norman  D.  Fraser. 
Their  golden  wedding  was  celebrated  in  November, 
1901,  on  which  occasion  they  were  surrounded  by  their 
children  and  grandchildren.  Mr.  Fraser,  as  a  mechan- 
ical engineer  and  inventor,  occupied  a  front  rank 
in  America.  He  invented  many  devices  and  contributed 
very  largely  to  the  development  of  modern  mining 
machinery.  He  was  a  man  of  winning  personality,  his 
generosity  arid  kindness  extending  down  to  his  dealings 
with  his  humblest  employees. 

Joseph  Edward  Otis,  capitalist  and  real  estate  owner, 
was  born  in  Berlin.  Erie  County,  Ohio,  April  30,  1830, 
16 


the  son  of  Joseph  and  Nancy  (Billings)  Otis.  After 
receiving  a  common  school  education  in  his  native  town 
he  took  a  three  years'  academic  course  in  the  Huron 
Institute,  at  Milan,  Ohio.  At  the  age  of  twenty-one 
he  was  appointed  postmaster  of  Berlin,  serving  in  that 
capacity  until  1855,  when  he  became  cashier  of  the 
Milan  Bank.  Shortly  afterwards  he  acquired  a  half 
interest  in  the  institution  by  purchase,  but  the  business 
was  brought  to  a  close  in  1862.  Through  his  connec- 
tion with  the  bank  he  came  into  possession  of  several 
vessels  on  the  Great  Lakes,  so  he  removed  to  Chicago, 
in  1860,  to  assume  charge  of  them.  The  boats  were 
used  for  shipping  grain  to  Buffalo  and  Oswego,  New 
York,  and  bringing  back  coal,  from  Erie  and  Cleveland. 
In  those  days  shipping  rates  were  high  and  the  business 
was  profitable,  the  coal  cargoes  yielding  large  profits 
in  Chicago.  The  firm  was  dissolved  in  1865,  owing  to 
the  death  of  one  of  the  partners. 

About  this  time  Mr.  Otis  began  to  recognize  the 
possibilities  of  future  growth  for  Chicago,  in  a  commer- 
cial and  business  way,  and  selected  this  city  as  a  field  for 
investment.  In  1868,  in  connection  with  Matthew 
Laflin,  John  V.  Farwell,  P.  Willard,  James  Woodworth 


JOSEPH    EDWARD    OTIS. 

and  others,  he  organized  the  Chicago  Fire  Insurance 
Company,  which  was  chartered  under  the  state  laws 
with  a  capital  of  $100,000.  He  was  chosen  president  of 
the  board  of  directors,  serving  in  this  capacity  for  three 
years.  In  1870  he  was  elected  alderman  from  the  Second 
ward,  on  the  Republican  ticket.  During  his  term  of 
office  he  was  on  the  finance  committee  and  the  com- 
mittee on  streets  and  alleys  for  the  South  Side.  He 


'2-1-2 


TIlll    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


retired  from  active  business  a  number  of  years  ago, 
spending  much  of  his  time  abroad,  though  he  still 
devoted  some  time  to  his  large  real  estate  interests, 
located  largely  in  the  down-town  district.  Mr.  Otis 
visited  nearly  every  civilized  land  on  the  globe,  achiev- 
ing quite  a  reputation  as  a  traveler.  In  1888  he  visited 
Egypt,  spending  an  entire  year  there  to  study  the 
antiquities  of  that  country.  He  made  a  trip  around  the 
world  in  1894.  He  was  especially  interested  in  Cuba, 
where  he  made  an  extensive  study  of  that  island's  con- 
ditions aiid  industries.  He  was  making  a  trip  through 
the  West  Indies  in  the  spring  of  1898,  at  the  time  the 
Maine  was  destroyed  in  the  harbor  of  Havana.  In  the 
winter  of  1901-1902  he  contracted  a  fatal  illness  which 
extended  over  a  period  of  several  months,  his  death 
occurring  on  March  9,  1902. 

Mr.  Otis  was  married  to  Miss  Ellen  Marie  Taylor, 
daughter  of  Judge  S.  F.  and  Judith  (Kellogg)  Taylor, 
of  Milan,  Ohio.  Four  children  survive  them,  Joseph 
E.  Otis,  Jr.,  Ralph  C.  Otis,  Mrs.  J.  E.  Jenkins  and  Mrs. 
H.  YY.  Buckingham. 

Thomas  H.  Wickes,  late  vice-president  of  The  Pull- 
man Company,  devoted  the  best  part  of  a  lifetime  to  the 
organization  and  development  of  that  great  corporation. 


THOMAS    H.    WICKES. 

He  was  born  in  Leicestershire,  England,  August  28, 
1846,  and  died  suddenly  in  Chicago,  March  28,  1905. 
On  April  i,  1868,  he  entered  the  railway  service  in 
the  position  of  an  assistant  to  the  agent  of  the  Pullman 
Palace  Car  Company.  From  April,  1868  to  1870  he 
held  this  place  in  the  East  St.  Louis  offices  of  the  com- 
pany. In  the  latter  year  he  was  advanced  to  an  assistant 


superintendent,  and  in  May,  1873,  he  became  superin- 
tendent of  the  St.  Louis  division.  He  filled  this  posi- 
tion, making  his  headquarters  in  St.  Louis,  for  the  next 
twelve  years. 

In  May,  1885,  his  headquarters  were  transferred 
to  Chicago,  and  he  was  made  western  general  superin- 
tendent. He  was  promoted  to  the  responsible  position 
of  general  superintendent  of  the  company  in  September 
of  the  following  year.  On  New  Year's  day,  1889,  he 
was  elected  second  vice-president  of  the  company  and 
took  control  of  the  operating  department.  He  was 
elected  first  vice-president,  October  15,  1896,  and  con- 
tinued in  this  office  when  the  corporation  was  reorgan- 
ized as  The  Pullman  Company.  Mr.  Wickes  held  this 
position  at  the  time  of  his  death. 

He  was  interested  financially  in  numerous  other 
ventures  and  took  an  active  part  in  affairs  of  the  day, 
but  The  Pullman  Company  was  the  only  corporation  to 
whose  interests  he  devoted  his  entire  time. 

Thomas  Gahan  was  in  many  ways  one  of  the  most 
prominent  figures  in  the  political,  business  and  social 
activities  of  Chicago  during  the  past  decade.  For  over 
twenty-five  years  he  was  the  leader  of  the  Cook  County 
Democracy  and  for  eight  years  represented  his  state 
on  the  national  committee  of  his  party.  As  president  of 
the  Ogden  Gas  Company  he  held  a  high  place  in  the 
business  world. 

Mr.  Gahan  was  born  in  what  is  now  known  as 
Arlington  Heights,  Cook  County,  April  7,  1847.  His 
first  public  position  was  that  of  captain  of  police  in  the 
old  town  of  Lake,  in  which  position  he  won  distinction 
by  establishing  and  maintaining  law  and  order.  This 
was  especially  true  during  the  great  strike  of  1884. 

Through  his  police  connection  he  drifted  into  poli- 
tics, organizing  the  Democracy  of  the  town  of  Lake. 
He  brought  about  the  nomination  of  the  late  Julius  S. 
Grinnell  for  state's  attorney,  who  was  the  only  demo- 
crat on  the  ticket  to  be  elected.  When  the  town  of 
Lake  v\?as  annexed  to  the  City  of  Chicago  he  was 
elected  alderman  to  represent  the  new  ward,  the 
Twenty-ninth,  having  served  several  terms  as  super- 
visor before  annexation.  Mr.  Gahan  served  in  the  city 
council  from  1889  to  1893,  when  he  resigned  to 
become  railroad  and  warehouse  commissioner  under 
Governor  Altgeld,  whose  nomination  and  election  he 
had  been  instrumental  in  securing.  In  1896  he  was 
elected  a  member  of  the  Democratic  National  Com- 
mittee for  Illinois  and  re-elected  in  1900.  Ill  health 
prevented  his  acceptance  of  the  honor  in  1904.  He 
also  served  as  chairman  of  the  Democratic  Central 
Committee,  Cook  County,  from  1895  to  1902.  He 
was  elected  delegate  to  each  Democratic  national  con- 
vention from  1884  to  1904.  inclusive. 

In  politics  Mr.  Gahan  was  a  power.  He  secured 
the  nomination  and  election  of  such  men  as  Governor 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


248 


Altgeld,  Mayor  Hopkins,  of  whom  lie  was  a  close 
friend  and  adviser,  and  many  others.  He  exerted  a 
large  influence  in  state  and  national  politics,  taking  an 
active  part  in  every  campaign  from  the  Cleveland- 
Elaine  struggle  in  1884  to  the  McKinley-Bryan  cam- 
paign in  1900. 

His  business  career  was  marked  by  the  same  suc- 
cess as  attended  his  political  endeavors.  He  was  asso- 
ciated with  Thomas  Byrne  for  many  years  in  general 
contracting  business,  during  which  time  they  built 
three  sections  of  the  drainage  canal,  the  Robey  Street 
sewer  and  all  the  underground  work  at  the  Columbian 
Exposition. 

Saturday  evening,  April  29,  1905,  Mr.  Gahan  con- 
tracted an  acute  attack  of  Bright's  disease,  with  which 
he  had  been  ailing  for  two  years.  His  condition 
rapidly  became  worse  and  the  following  evening  he 
succumbed  at  his  residence,  4619  Grand  boulevard. 

Mr.  Gahan  was  a  member  of  the  Sheridan,  Cook 
County,  Ellerslee  Cross  Country,  and  Iroquois  clubs, 
and  of  the  Knights  of  Columbus.  He  was  a  liberal 
and  silent  giver  to  charity  and  always  evinced  a  deep 


THOMAS    GAHAN. 

interest  in  the  schools  of  Chicago.  He  was  married 
November  8,  1877  to  Miss  Sarah  A.  McNarney,  who 
survives  him,  together  with  his  daughters,  Sarah, 
Olive,  Agnes  and  Rose. 

Charles  Emmerich,  the  founder  of  the  largest 
feather-pillow  manufactory  in  the  United  States,  was 
born  August  31,  1840,  and  died  September  14,  1903. 
He  came  to  this  country  at  the  age  of  sixteen. 


Shortly  after  arriving  he  connected  himself  with 
Wiglieb  &  Co.,  who  were  then  in  the  feather  and  leather 
business.  Following  the  feather  branch,  he  was  soon 
placed  in  charge  of  a  branch  store.  This  proved  very 
successful ;  in  fact,  this  business  in  a  short  time  sur- 
passed that  of  the  home  office.  Mr.  Wiglieb,  about  this 
time  decided  to  retire  from  business,  and  sold  the  feather 


CHARLES    EMMERICH. 

branch  to  Mr.  Emmerich,  from  which  sprang  the  pres- 
ent company  of  Chas.  Emmerich  &  Co. 

The  success  of  the  house  is  due  to  the  untiring  efforts 
and  honorable  dealings  of  its  founder.  That  he  had 
much  to  contend  with  its  evidenced  by  the  fact  that  in 
the  great  Chicago  fire,  not  only  was  his  business  place 
entirely  destroyed,  but  he  also*  lost  his  home,  and  all  its 
contents.  He  had  nothing  but  what  was  due  him  from 
his  customers,  and  it  was  a  long  time,  on  account  of 
poor  postal  facilities,  before  he  received  anything  from 
this  source.  With  renewed  energy  he  again  opened  up 
a  temporary  office,  and  soon  had  the  business  on  a  pay- 
ing basis  again.  In  1905  the  plant  of  Chas.  Emmerich 
&  Co.  was  again  totally  destroyed  by  fire,  but,  as  in  the 
former  case,  it  arose  from  this  calamity  and  to-day  holds 
an  enviable  position  among  the  business  houses  of 
Chicago. 

William  H.  Bush.  In  a  great  commercial  center, 
in  the  most  attractive  period  of  the  world's  existence, 
it  is  pleasing  to  note  the  philanthropy  of  a  practical 
business  man,  successful  and  unselfish.  The  death 
of  William  H.  Bush  removed  not  only  a  prominent 
factor  in  the  piano  industry  of  America,  but  a  man 


214 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


whose  sterling  name  and  substantial  achievements  are 
interwoven  with  the  wonderful  growth  of  Chicago  and 
the  development  of  the  West. 

Mr.  Bush  came  here  from  Baltimore  more  than  half 
a  century  ago,  beginning  business  at  a  time  when  stren- 
uous and  honorable  individual  effort  assisted  so  much 
in  the  advancement  of  Chicago  as  the  metropolis  of  the 
West.  His  energies  were  ever  in  the  direction  of  the 
higher  citizenship  and  a  sterling  standard  for  integrity 
in  the  career  of  the  man,  the  merchant  and  the  manu- 
facturer. 

When  Chicago  was  almost  obliterated  by  the  great 
fire  Mr.  Bush  was  engaged  in  the  lumber  business,  and 
all  of  his  worldly  possessions,  the  day  after  the  great 
conflagration,  consisted  of  two  small  charred  schooners 
laden  with  lumber,  that  had  been  towed  from  the  river 
to  the  outer  harbor.  His  first  thought  was  for  Grace 
M.  E.  Church,  where  he  had  been  a  deacon  for  a  quarter 
of  a  century.  From  his  meager  stock  he  generously 
aided  in  the  rebuilding  of  a  church  on  the  site  of  its 
predecessor  that  was  completed  within  a  week  after  its 
destruction.  Then  came  anew  the  struggle  for  exist- 
ence, and  Mr.  Bush  was  unusually  successful. 

With  a  well-grounded  belief  in  the  North  Side,  Mr. 
Bush  in  1875,  securing  the  services  of  Edwin  Burling, 


BUSH    TEMPLE. 


architect,  erected  a  large  two-story  brick  building  on  the 
northwest  corner  of  North  Clark  street  and  Chicago 
avenue,  with  the  idea  of  establishing  a  market  fashioned 
after  the  old  Lexington  market  in  Baltimore.  Mr. 
Bush  devoted  the  basement,  and  the  three-story  addi- 
tion in  the  rear,  facing  on  Chicago  avenue,  to  his  pack- 
ing interests. 

As  a  market-house  with  the  stall  plan  was  not  so 
successful  as  had  been  anticipated,  the  free  delivery  sys- 
tem in  vogue  in  this  city  militating  against  the  old-fash- 
ioned style  of  marketing,  the  building  was  remodeled 
into  stores.  In  1882,  after  seven  years  in  the  packing 
business,  Mr.  Bush  sold  out  his  interests  in  that  line  and 
retired,  merely  devoting  his  attention  to  real  estate 
holdings.  But  Mr.  Bush  preferred  the  activity  of  a  busi- 
ness life,  and  late  in  1885  formed  a  partnership  with  Mr. 
John  Gerts,  a  practical  piano  man,  for  the  purpose  of 
manufacturing  pianos.  The  business  thus  promulgated 
flourished  with  unprecedented  success,  and  Mr.  Bush 
was  still  at  the  helm  guiding  and  directing  its  large 
interests  when  stricken  with  the  illness  which  robbed 
Chicago  of  one  of  its  most  successful  financiers  and  a 
citizen  of  whom  it  might  well  be  proud. 

The  late  William  H.  Bush,  while  taking  a  justifiable 
pride  in  his  business,  had  loftier  ambitions  in  bettering 
the  general  conditions  of  the  community.  He 
was  active  in  the  work  of  the  Church  for  over  forty 
years,  a  thorough  believer  in  practical  Christianity, 
a  member  of  the  Civic  Federation,  the  Society  for 
the  Prevention  of  Vice  and  other  beneficial  munic- 
ipal organizations.  He  was  ever  a  strong  advo- 
cate for  temperance,  and  the  encroachment  of  the 
saloons  in  the  Clark  street  neighborhood  was  to 
him  a  sore  trial.  Personally  he  would  tolerate  no 
affiliation  with  liquor  interests  in  any  property  that 
he  owned  or  controlled. 

In  addition  to  his  many  charities,  one  in  which 
he  was  particularly  interested  was  the  Methodist 
Old  People's  Home,  on  Foster  avenue,  in  Edge- 
water.  It  was  his  first  donation  of  $35,000,  that 
made  the  building  of  Bush  Hall  possible,  and  his 
gift  of  the  lots  adjoining  will  enable  the  directors 
to  add  the  projected  wings  of  the  completed  build- 
ing. The  present  Bush  Hall  is  a  substantial  four- 
story  building,  accomodating  sixty  inmates.  The 
completed  building  plan  includes  three  continuous 
buildings,  of  which  the  one  erected  is  the  middle 
building,  and  a  chapel  on  the  corner  adjoining. 
The  Home  completed  will  take  care  of  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  people. 

An  inspection  of  the  Home  demonstrates  that 
it  has  the  inviting  atmosphere  of  a  home,  with 
cozy  rooms  well  lighted  and  heated  and  comfort- 
ably furnished.  The  furnishings  are  substantial 
and  have  been  selected  with  taste.  Many  nidi- 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


245 


viduals,  Epworth  Leagues  and  other  Societies,  have 
furnished  rooms.  An  institution  of  this  nature  must 
have  an  endowment  fund,  and  one  of  the  last  bequests 
of  Mr.  Bush  was  the  sum  of  $30,000  for  this  purpose. 
The  Home  was  dedicated  three  weeks  after  Mr.  Bush's 
death.  Interested  friends  have  already  promised  the 


WILLIAM    H.    BUSH. 

necessary  money  to  erect  the  second  building  of  the 
series  projected. 

Mr.  Bush  had  a  sincere  fondness  for  the  old  corner 
where  he  had  been  in  business  so  long,  and  an  abiding 
faith  in  that  particular  section  of  the  North  Division. 
During  the  last  ten  years  of  his  life  he  had  several  times 
planned  to  remodel  the  building,  but  two  years  before 
his  death  ordered  plans  for  an  entirely  new  building 
upon  the  site.  It  was  his  desire  that  it  should  be  freed 
as  far  as  possible  from  the  environments  of  commer- 
cialism, a  monumental  structure  that  should  be  beautiful 
as  well  as  useful.  A  few  weeks  before  the  time  appointed 
for  the  breaking  of  ground  preparatory  to  the  erection 
of  the  building  Mr.  Bush  was  seized  with  a  fatal  illness. 
His  last  request  of  his  two  sons  was  that  they  should 
carry  out  his  projects  in  regard  to  the  building.  As  a 
result  of  this  request  and  its  faithful  execution,  the  Bush 
Temple  of  Music,  a  beautiful  and  imposing  structure 
now  stands  as  a  memorial  to  one  of  the  most  honored 
citizens,  successful  business  men,  and  broad  minded 
philanthropists  of  the  great  western  metropolis. 

Charles  Netcher  when  fourteen  years  old  started 
work  as  a  cash  boy  and  bundle  wrapper,  and  at  the  time 
of  his  death,  thirty-eight  years  later,  was  sole  proprietor 
of  one  of  the  largest  mercantile  houses  in  the  world.  By 


unceasing  work  and  keen  business  ability  he  built  up 
as  a  monument  to  his  name,  the  great  retail  store  where 
he  passed  all  the  working  hours  of  his  life.  The  history 
of  his  life  reads  like  a  young  man's  sermon  on  how  to 
succeed. 

Born  in  Buffalo  in  1852  Mr.  Netcher  when  fourteen 
years  of  age  entered  the  dry  goods  business  of  Edward 
and  C.  W.  Pardridge  as  cash  boy  and  bundle  wrapper. 
When  the  Pardridge  brothers  came  to  Chicago  in  1869 
young  Netcher  came  with  them.  It  is  said  that  after 
he  became  manager  of  the  store  at  State  and  Madison 
streets,  receiving  $4,000  a  year,  he  worked  eighteen 
hours  a  day  and  slept  on  the  counter  in  the  store  in 
order  to  be  at  work  early  the  next  morning. 

After  the  Chicago  fire  in  which  the  firm  lost  every- 
thing with  the  exception  of  a  few  cases  of  goods,  which 
were  on  the  road  in  transit,  Mr.  Netcher  suggested  they 
construct  a  shanty  on  Twenty-second  and  State  streets, 
which  was  done,  with  any  available  lumber  they  could 
find.  They  made  a  success  of  this  undertaking  and  this 
was  the  beginning  of  Mr.  Netcher's  upward  career. 

When  the  Pardridges  turned  their  attention  to 
wheat  deals,  Mr.  Netcher  gradually  acquired  an  interest 
in  the  dry  goods  house  over  which  he  was  their  mana- 


CHARLES    NETCHER. 

ger.  Five  years  later  they  relinquished  all  their  hold- 
ings in  the  business  and  he  became  the  sole  proprietor 
of  the  Boston  Store. 

Although  Mr.  Netcher  never  considered  his  health 
in  his  close  application  to  business,  the  brief  fatal  ill- 
ness preceding  his  sudden  death  came  as  a  surprise  to 
even  his  closest  friends.  He  had  been  operated  upon 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


for  appendicitis  and  the  family  was  confident  of  a 
speedy  recovery  when  he  was  stricken  with  apoplexy. 
Death  occurred  on  June  20,  1904. 

A  short  time  before  his  death,  Mr.  Netcher  pur- 
chased the  Champlain  block,  one  of  the  large  office 
buildings  of  the  city.  The  lower  floors  of  the  block 
were  utilized  for  the  expanding  business  of  the  Boston 
Store  and  it  was  his  intention  to  ultimately  rebuild  the 
old  store  building  to  the  height  of  the  new  structure, 
making  one  of  the  finest  building  blocks  in  the  city,  to 
be  known  as  the  Charles  Netcher  block. 

Mr.  Netcher  cared  little  for  those  outside  activities 
of  political  and  public  affairs  which  attract  so  many 
business  men.  He  adhered  closely  to  business  and  all 
his  spare  time  was  devoted  to  his  family.  He  developed 
the  Boston  Store  from  an  obscure  position  to  one  of  the 
leading  retail  establishments  of  the  city  and  increased 
his  real  estate  holdings  until  they  were  among  the 
largest  in  Chicago. 

Only  a  few  months  before  his  death,  Mr.  Netcher 
took  out  a  life  insurance  policy  for  $500,000,  of  which 
his  widow  was  the  beneficiary.  She  has  assumed  with 
rare  executive  ability  the  active  management  of  his 
vast  business  interests.  Immediately  after  Mr. 
Netcher's  death,  the  employees  of  the  Boston  Store 
met  and  passed  resolutions,  pledging  themselves  to 
carry  on  the  business  on  the  lines  taught  by  their  late 
employer. 

Mr.  Netcher's  home  life  was  iclea.1.  While  his  idea 
was  to  save,  yet  for  his  wife  and  family  there  was 
nothing  too  good.  In  his  entire  married  life  of 
thirteen  years,  Mr.  Netcher  spent  all  his  time,  which 
was  not  given  to  his  business,  with  his  family,  where 
he  found  contentment  and  rest  after  strenuous  clay's 
work.  His  life  was  above  reproach,  and  his  habits  were 
of  the  best. 

Jacob  Forsyth,  who  died  January  29.  1899,  was  one 
of  Chicago's  pioneer  land  owners  and  real  estate  dealers. 
He  was  born  in  the  north  of  Ireland,  January  12,  1821, 
and  came  to  this  country  when  he  was  fifteen  years  old, 
settling  in  Pittsburg,  Pennsylvania.  He  was  employed 
in  a  commision  house  in  that  city  for  twenty  years 
before  coming  to  Chicago. 

In  1857  he  entered  the  employ  of  Clarke  &  Co.,  the 
western  through  transportation  agents  of  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Railroad.  A  few  years  later  he  became  the  north- 
western agent  for  what  was  then  the  New  York  &  Erie 
Railroad.  Previous  to  this  he  married  a  sister  of  George 
W.  Clarke,  at  that  time  an  extensive  owner  of  Chicago 
property.  General  H.  F.  Clarke,  who  gave  distin- 
guished sen-ice  in  the  Mexican  war,  and  later  as  a  mem- 
ber of  General  McClellan's  staff,  and  Colonel  R.  D. 
Clarke,  were  other  brothers-in-law  of  Mr.  Forsyth.  Mr. 
Forsyth's  widow  survived  him  little  more  than  three 
months, 


He  laid  the  foundation  for  his  fortune  in  realty 
when  he  purchased  10,000  acres  of  land  in  Lake  County, 
Indiana,  in  1866.  By  this  one  transaction,  he  became 
the  largest  single  land  owner  in  the  Calumet  region 
near  Chicago.  In  the  same  year,  George  W.  Clarke 
died  leaving  much  of  his  property  to  his  sister  and  con- 
siderably increasing  the  acres  under  Mr.  Forsyth's 
control. 

For  years  Mr.  Forsyth  was  involved  in  litigation  with 
squatters  on  his  immense  tracts.  He  was  finally  suc- 
cessful, and  they  were  expelled.  Another  bitter  contest 
to  establish  his  title  was  with  the  city  of  Hammond, 
Indiana.  Former  President  Harrison  represented  him 
in  this  litigation  and  carried  it  to  a  termination  favorable 
to  his  client.  During  these  long  years  of  litigation,  Mr. 
Forsyth  was  an  eager  student  and  reader  of  authorities 
and  literature  on  riparian  rights,  and  was  one  of  the  best 
posted  men  in  the  country  on  this  phase  of  land  liti- 
gation. The  East  Chicago  Improvement  Company 
purchased  8,000  acres  from  him,  and  at  the  same  time  he 
donated  i  ,000  additional  acres  as  a  site  for  the  town  of 
East  Chicago.  In  1888,  a  further  inroad  into  the 
immense  holding  was  made  when  he  transferred  to  the 
Standard  Oil  Company  the  land  which  is  now  covered 
by  the  corporation's  plant  at  Whiting,  Indiana. 

Mr.  Forsyth  was  a  man  of  pronounced  opinions  and 
great  physical  vigor.  His  purchases  of  realty  were 
made  at  a  time  when  the  barren  sand  dunes  of  the 
Indiana  shores  were  considered  valueless,  except  as  a 
cause  for  paying  taxes.  It  was  not  until  several  years 
later  that  his  opinion  of  their  ultimate  value  was  realized. 

He  was  survived  by  four  daughters  and  five  sons,  of 
whom  Oliver  O.  Forsyth,  now  administers  the  affairs 
of  the  estate. 

John  V.  Farwell,  5r.,  a  pioneer  and  a  chief  among 
the  wholesale  dry  goods  merchants  of  Chicago,  was 
born  in  Steuben  County,  New  York,  July  29,  1825,  the 
son  of  Henry  and  Nancy  (Jackson)  Farwell.  While  he 
was  in  his  thirteenth  year  his  parents  came  to  Illinois 
and  settled  on  a  farm  on  Rock  river,  in. Ogle  County. 
Like  many  others  of  our  great  merchants  and  eminent 
professional  men,  Mr.  John  V.  Farwell  was  inured  to 
labor  in  his  youth.  Indeed,  until  the  latter  half  of  this 
century  had  begun,  comparatively  little  trade  was  done 
without  reference  to  the  value  of  farm  products.  The 
country  merchant  took  grain  from  his  customers  in 
exchange  for  other  goods,  and  frequently  offered  it  as 
payment  in  whole,  or  in  part,  to  the  jobber  from  whom 
he  purchased  his  stock.  Mr.  Farwell  relates  that  in  his 
youth  he  sold  wheat  at  forty-five  cents  a  bushel,  after 
hauling  it  a  hundred  miles,  to  Mr.  Wadsworth,  head 
of  a  dry  goods  house,  and  after  selling  it  he  helped  to 
store  it  in  an  elevator  which  was  worked  by  a  rope. 
Wadsworth  &  Company,  which  became  the  commercial 
parent  of  the  far  greater  firm  of  J.  Y.  Farwell  &  Com- 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


L>47 


pany,  dealt,  until  1851.  in  dry  groceries,  as  well  as  in 
textile  fabrics.  In  the  panic  of  1857-58,  when  stumptail 
money  was  the  only  currency  in  the  Northwest,  this  firm 
paid  its  debts  by  buying  and  shipping  wheat  to 
New  York. 

After  a  preliminary  education  in  the  common  schools 
of  New  York  and  Il'inois.  Mr.  Farwell  became  a  student 
in  the  seminary  at  Mount  Morris,  Illinois.  He  came  to 
Chicago  in  1845,  and  after  several  years  of  service  as 
clerk  in  various  dry  goods  stores  he  became  a  partner 
in  the  firm  of  Wadsworth  &  Phelps,  in  1851.  The  firm 
of  Wadsworth  &  Company  was  established  in  1835,  and 
thus  its  great  offshoot,  the  incorporated  firm  of  J.  V. 
Farwell  &  Company,  lays  claim  to  the  title  of  the  oldest 
wholesale  dry  goods  house  in  Chicago.  From  the  time 
of  Mr.  Farwell's  entrance  as  a  partner  the  business  of 
the  firm  was  confined  solely  to  the  sale  of  dry  goods 
and  their  legitimate  adjuncts.  In  1870  the  headquarters 
of  the  firm  were  at  72,  74  and  76  Wabash  avenue,  and  in 
this  year  the  stock  was  all  but  completely  destroyed  by 
fire.  Scarcely  had  this  disaster  been  overcome  before  the 
great  fire  of  1871  involved  the  firm  in  new  difficulties. 
Undismayed  by  these  calamities,  the  firm,  now  John  V. 
Farwell  &  Company  did  business  in  a  wood  building  on 
Michigan  avenue,  and  within  six  weeks  from  the  destruc- 
tion of  their  premises  on  Wabash  avenue,  they  converted 
their  stable  and  warehouse  into  a  five-story  brick  store 
on  Monroe  street,  near  the  river.  Ten  years  later  the 
new  Farwell  block,  that  occupies  all  the  space  on 
Market  street  between  Adams  and  Monroe  and  abutting 
on  the  river  with  a  4OO-foot  frontage  on  Market  street, 
was  built  and  occupied.  Here,  as  he  sits  in  his 
private  office,  that  is  occasionally  darkened  by  the 
towering  hull  of  some  great  iron-built  steamer,  Mr. 
Farwell  calls  to  mind  that  he  saw  and  assisted  in  the 
joyful  celebration  of  the  event  of  the  first  canal  boat 
to  enter  the  Chicago  river.  The  circumstance  was 
regarded  as  prognostic  of  great  enlargement  of  the 
trade  between  the  city  and  country,  and  for  many  years 
after  this  arrival  of  the  first  boat,  the  advent  of  a  barge 
was  regarded  as  important.  The  firm  of  John  V.  Farwell 
&  Company  became  an  incorporated  concern  in  1891. 
It  has  grown  with  the  city's  growth,  and  has  strength- 
ened with  its  strength,  and  stands  in  the  front  rank  of 
the  commercial  institutions  of  a  metropolis  of  2,000,000 
inhabitants,  just  as  it  stood  in  the  first  rank  when  Chi- 
cago was  but  a  flourishing  and  ambitious  city  of  the 
third  class.  In  addition  to  his  labors  as  manager  of  the 
great  firm  with  winch  his  name  is  associated,  Mr.  Far- 
well  was  active  in  the  establishment  of  the  Union 
National  bank,  and  served  as  one  of  the  directors  until 
several  years  after  the  great  fire. 

In  politics  Mr.  Farwell  is  Republican.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  electoral  college  that  cast  its  vote  for 
Lincoln  in  1860,  and  for  six  vears  held  the  honorable 


and  arduous,  though  unprofitable,  office  of  Indian  Com- 
missioner during  the  first  and  second  administrations  of 
President  Grant.  Though  frequently  solicited  to  accept 
a  nomination  for  various  political  offices,  Mr.  Farwell 
has  declined  to  become  a  candidate  for  any  elective 
office,  or  to  hold  any  lucrative  federal  appointment. 
His  political  work  has  been  of  the  unpaid  and  patriotic 
order.  During  the  progress  of  the  war  for  the  Union 
Mr.  Farwell  served  as  chairman  of  the  Northwestern 
Christian  Commissions,  and  in  that  capacity  devoted 
most  of  his  time  to  advancing  the  temporal  and  spiritual 
welfare  of  the  soldier  in  the  field.  There  is  no  nonsec- 
tarian,  religious  or  philanthropic  movement  to  which 
Mr.  Farwell  has  not  given  liberal  and  unostentatious  aid. 


J.    V.    FARWELL,    SR. 

Old  -Farwell  Hall,"  now  the  finest  Y.  M.  C.  A.  build- 
ing on  earth,  is,  perhaps,  the  most  widely-known 
manifestation  of  zeal  and  munificence  toward  the 
propagation  of  Christian  doctrine. 

Mr.  Farwell  has  been  twice  married :  first,  to  Miss 
Abigail  Taylor  of  Illinois,  and,  second,  to  Miss  Emeret 
Cooley  of  Hartford.  Connecticut.  There  are  five  sur- 
viving children. 

Frederick  Augustus  Smith,  appellate  justice  of  the 
Branch  Court,  First  District  of  Illinois,  is  the  son  of 
Israel  G.  and  Susan  (Penoyer)  Smith,  and  was  born 
at  Norwood  Park,  Cook  County,  Illinois,  February  11, 
1844.  His  early  education  was  acquired  in  the  common 
schools  of  Chicago,  and  in  1860  he  entered  the  old  Uni- 
versity of  Chicago.  He  was  making  excellent  progress 
in  that  institution,  when  in  1863,  fired  by  patriotic  ardor, 
he  threw  aside  his  books  and.  enlisted  as  a  private  in 


248 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


Company  G,  I34th  Illinois  Volunteers.  Me  remained 
in  the  service  with  his  regiment,  participating  in  the 
campaign  of  Missouri  and  Kentucky,  in  which  his  regi- 
ment was  engaged,  until  mustered  out  in  1864.  Return- 
ing to  civil  life,  he  took  up  the  interrupted  course  in  the 
University,  and  was  graduated  with  honors  in  1866. 
Following  out  a  long  cherished  plan  he  began  the  study 
of  law  at  the  Union  College  of  Law,  receiving  his 
diploma  from  that  institution  in  1867.  He  immediately 
began  practice,  forming  a  partnership  with  present 
United  States  District  Judge  C.  C.  Kohlsaat,  which 
continued  until  1872.  The  firm  of  Smith,  Helmer  & 
Moulton  was  formed  in  1890.  Afterward  Mr.  Price's 


FREDERICK    AUGUSTUS    SMITH. 

name  was  added,  and  the  firm  name  became  Smith,  Hel- 
mer, Moulton  &  Price. 

Mr.  Smith  had  always  been  an  unswerving  Republi- 
can, and  in  1898,  became  the  party's  candidate  for  judge 
of  the  Circuit  Court.  He  failed  of  election  that  year,  but 
again  in  1903  was  honored  by  receiving  the  nomina- 
tion for  the  next  term,  and  was  elected,  being  one  of  the 
three  Republicans  chosen  that  year  out  of  the  fourteen 
candidates  of  his  party  for  the  Circuit  Bench.  Since 
his  elevation  to  the  bench.  Judge  Smith  has  occupied 
his  position  with  all  honor  and  dignity,  fulfilling  in  the 
highest  degree  the  confidence  and  expectations  of  his 
friends.  Still  greater  honors  were  to  come  to  him, 
however.  In  December,  1903,  lie  was  chosen  by  the 
members  of  the  Supreme  Court  to  be  one  of  the  justices 
of  the  Branch  Appellate  Court,  First  District  of  Illinois. 

Judge  Smith  has  been  successful  since  his  admission 
to  the  bar.  The  honors  that  have  come  to  him  have 


been  fairly  and  honestly  earned,  won  by  meritorious 
and  constant  application  to  the  trusts  confided  to  him. 
As  a  practicing  lawyer,  his  clients'  interests  were  care- 
fully and  faithfully  guarded,  and  his  conscientious  efforts 
in  protecting  the  many  intricate  and  important  litiga- 
tions confided  to  his  care  brought  to  him  a  large  prac- 
tice, and  the  good  will  and  esteem  of  all  who  came  in 
touch  with  him.  His  bearing  on  the  bench  has  been 
marked  with  the  confidence  and  dignity  which  come 
from  deep  knowledge,  and  thorough  understanding  of 
the  law  in  all  its  phases  and  complicated  details. 

Judge  Smith  has  always  been  a  man  of  great  public 
spirit,  and  has  been  actively  connected  with  many  benev- 
olent and  educational  measures.  Among  the  many 
social  and  professional  organizations  in  which  he  is 
prominent  may  be  mentioned  the  Union  League  Club; 
the  Hamilton  Club,  of  which  he  has  been  president ; 
the  Chicago  Bar  Association,  to  which  he  was  also 
chosen  president  in  1890,  and  the  Chicago  Law  Club, 
one  of  the  most  select  and  successful  organizations  of 
lawyers  in  Chicago,  and  in  which  he  has  also  filled  the 
executive  office,  being  elected  to  that  position  in  1897. 
He"  is  a  member  of  the  board  of  trustees  of  Rush  Medi- 
cal College,  and  has  also  been  a  member  of  the  board  of 
trustees  of  the  University  of  Chicago  since  its  founda- 
tion, and  has  participated  actively  in  the  organization 
and  growth  of  that  great  educational  institution. 

Judge  Smith  was  married  July  26,  1871,  to  Miss 
Frances  B.  Morey,  daughter  of  the  Rev.  Ruben  and 
Mrs.  Abby  (demons)  Morey,  of  Merton,  Wisconsin. 

Willard  Milton  McEwen,  judge  of  the  Superior 
Court,  was  born  on  a  farm  in  Milan  Township,  De  Kalb 
County,  Illinois,  December  15,  1863.  When  he  was 
five  years  old  his  parents  moved  to  De  Kalb  and  he 
received  his  grammar  and  high  school  education  in  that 
town,  graduating  from  the  De  Kalb  high  school  in  1882. 

Judge  McEwen  came  to  Chicago  in  1885  and  took 
a  course  at  the  Union  College  of  Law.  After  his  grad- 
uation in  1887  he  entered  the  law  office  of  Edward  W. 
Russell,  who  was  then  counsel  for  several  large  corpora- 
tions. He  remained  with  Mr.  Russell  three  years  be- 
fore he  began  practicing  for  himself. 

In  October,  1890,  he  formed  a  partnership  with 
Charles  S.  Deneen,  present  governor  of  Illinois,  under 
the  firm  name  of  Deneen  &  McEwen.  The  partnership 
was  dissolved  a  year  later  and  Judge  McEwen  formed 
a  partnership  with  Frank  B.  Pease  under  the  firm  name 
of  Pease  &  McEwen. 

When  Charles  S.  Deneen  was  elected  attorney  for 
the  Drainage  Board  in  1895,  Judge  McEwen  left  his 
partnership  to  become  Mr.  Deneen's  assistant.  He 
took  Mr.  Deneen's  place  when  the  latter  was  nominated 
for  state's  attorney. 

In   February,    1896,    Judge    McEwen  became  first 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


249 


assistant  state's  attorney,  retaining-  the  position  until 
January,  1900,  when  he  resigned  to  practice  law  for 
himself  again.  His  most  notable  work  as  assistant 
state's  attorney  was  the  breaking-  np  of  the  so-called 
jury  bribing  "ring."  His  ten  months'  investigation 
resulted  in  the  flight  of  Daniel  Coughlin  and  James  J. 
Lynch  and  the  subsequent  indictment  of  Alexander 


WILLARD    MILTON    McEWEN. 

Sullivan  when  Lynch  returned  and  turned  state's  evi- 
dence. The  alleged  fixing  of  juries  involved  several 
street  railway  cases. 

As  assistant  state's  attorney,  Judge  McEwen  also 
attracted  widespread  attention  through  his  prosecution 
of  the  Adolph  Luetgert  and  Emil  Rollinger  murder 
cases  and  the  embezzlement  charges  against  Charles  W. 
Spalding.  Luetgert  was  sent  to  the  penitentiary  for 
life  for  the  murder  of  his  wife  and  Rollinger  was  hanged 
for  a  similar  offense.  Spalding  was  convicted  of  embez- 
zling $419,000  of  the  State  University's  funds. 

In  1902  he  was  elected  judge  of  the  Superior  Court. 

Abncr  Smith,  for  two  terms  a  judge  of  the  circuit 
court  of  Cook  County  and  now  of  the  firm  of  Smith  & 
Caswell,  attorneys  and  counselors  at  law,  with  offices  at 
630  Chicago  Opera  House  building,  is  of  thorough 
American  lineage.  His  ancestors,  alike  on  the  mother's 
and  father's  side,  "were  among  the  earliest  settlers  of 
Massachusetts.  He  was  born  at  Orange,  Massachusetts, 
August  4.  1843.  His  mother,  prior  to  her  marriage,  was 
Miss  Sophronia  A.  Ward.  The  head  of  the  Ward 
family  settled  in  Massachusetts  as  early  as  1639.  and 
many  of  its  members  have  been  distinguished  in  judicial, 
military,  legislative  and  clerical  circles. 


While  Abner  Smith  was  but  a  child  his  parents 
moved  to  Middlebury,  Vermont,  attracted  by  the  supe- 
rior advantages  that  town  offered  for  the  education  of 
their  family.  After  due  preparation  in  the  public  and 
other  schools,  Abner  Smith  was  enrolled  as  a  student 
of  Middlebury  college,  and  was  graduated  in  1866.  The 
Undergraduate,  the  journal  of  Middlebury  college,  in  a 
review  of  the  professional  career  of  Judge  Smith,  charac- 
terizes him  as  "one  who  never  aimed  at  ephemeral  bril- 
liancy or  at  the  attainment  of  signal  momentary  results, 
but  careful  to  avoid  errors  of  judgment,  and  wisely  dis- 
trustful of  mere  temporary  achievements."  These  attri- 
butes have  distinguished  the  judge  through  life  and 
have  been  the  dominant  factors  of  his  successful  career. 

After  leaving  college  Mr.  Smith  was  in  charge  of 
Newton  Academy  at  Shoreham,  Vermont,  for  about  a 
year,  when  he  decided  to  go  west.  Arriving  at  Chicago, 
he  became  a  student  in  the  law  office  of  J.  L.  Stark. 
Mr.  Stark  himself  was  from  the  Green  Mountain  State 
and  was  a  descendant  of  that  Colonel  Stark  who,  in  the 
Revolutionary  Wrar,  had  come  to  the  aid  of  Judge 
Smith's  maternal  ancestor,  Major-General  Ward.  There 
was  a  warm  feeling  of  friendship  between  preceptor  and 
pupil,  and  in  due  time  Abner  Smith  was  admitted  to  the 


ABNER    SMITH. 

practice  of  law  and  became  a  partner  with  Mr.  Stark. 
The  firm  of  Stark  &  Smith  was  dissolved  by  the  death 
of  its  senior  member.  Judge  Smith  continued  the  busi- 
ness of  the  firm  and  enlarged  it.  Subsequently  Mr. 
Smith  formed  a  partnership  with  Mr.  John  M.  H.  Bur- 
gett,  and  the  firm  of  Smith  &  Burgett  was  well  known 
to  lawyers  and  clients  for  a  period  of  ten  years. 

After  forming  other  partnerships  of  brief  duration, 


250 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


Mr.  Smith  for  a  period  beginning  in  1887  practiced  as 
an  individual,  and  won  his  most  notable  legal  victories 
by  his  own  generalship.  While  eminent  as  a  general 
practitioner,  Mr.  Smith  attained  the  highest  measure  of 
success  as  a  commercial  and  corporation  lawyer,  and  has 
been  retained  as  standing  counsel  by  some  of  the  most 
famous  corporations  of  this  and  other  states.  In  1893 
he  was  elected  to  the  bench  of  the  circuit  court,  a  posi- 
tion that  he  filled  with  honor  to  himself  and  to  his  con- 
stituents for  two  successive  terms. 

Judge  Smith  was  married  in  1869  to  Miss  Ada  C. 
Smith,  daughter  of  the  late  Sereno  Smith  of  Shoreham, 
Vermont.  He  is  of  eminently  domestic  and  artistic 
tastes,  and  his  home.  No.  15  Aldine  square,  reflects  his 
artistic  and  musical  disposition. 

Simeon  P.  Shope,  former  justice  of  the  Supreme 
Court  of  Illinois  and  one  of  the  leading  members  of  the 


SIMEON    P.    SHOPE. 

Illinois  bar,  is  a  native  of  Akron,  Ohio,  where  he  was 
born  December  3,  1837.  Two  years  later  his  parents 
moved  to  Marseilles,  Illinois.  He  obtained  an  academic 
education  and  later  taught  school,  in  the  meantime  pur- 


suing his  studies.  After  teaching  for  several  years  he 
entered  the  law  office  of  Judge  Elihu  N.  Powell  and  sub- 
sequently that  of  Judge  Norman  H.  Purple  of  Peoria, 
Illinois.  After  being  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1858,  he 
practiced  his  profession  in  the  various  courts  of  Illinois 
until  1877,  when  he  was  elected  to  the  circuit  bench. 

He  served  two  terms  in  the  old  tenth  circuit,  with 
Judge  Chauncey  L.  Higbie  as  one  of  his  associates.  He 
was  elected  in  June,  1885,  to  the  Supreme  bench  of  the 
state,  for  a  period  of  nine  years.  At  the  expiration  of 
his  term  he  was  urged  for  the  renomination,  but  he 
declined  the  honor.  Removing  to  Chicago  in  1894. 
he  resumed  his  law  practice.  He  is  well  known  as  a 
prominent  member  of  the  Chicago  bar.  He  is  now 
senior  member  of  the  firm  of  Shope,  Mathias,  Zane  & 
Wreber. 

Judge  Shope  has  interested  himself  largely  in  public 
affairs.  Prior  to  his  judicial  election  he  had  been  a  con- 
servative Democrat,  taking  an  active  part  in  his  party's 
activities.  He  is  a  Mason,  Knight  Templar,  Elk  and 
Knight  of  Pythias.  He  was  married  in  1858,  his  wife 
dying  in  Florida,  on  January  4,  1883.  There  were  four 
children  born  to  them,  of  whom  the  two  younger  are 
still  living. 

Ephraim  Banning  comes  of  good  legal  stock,  his 
mother,  who  was  a  Kentuckian,  being  a  sister  of  the 
late  Judge  Pinkney  H.  Walker  of  the  Supreme  Court 
of  Illinois,  and  having  among  her  people  others  who 
attained  distinction  in  the  science  of  law.  Her  father, 
Gilmer  Walker,  had  a  large  practice,  and  his  brother, 
Cyrus  Walker,  was  a  distinguished  practitioner  in  Ken- 
tucky until  he  removed  to  Illinois,  where  he  achieved 
still  more  noteworthy  success — Lincoln,  Douglass,  S.  T. 
Logan  and  Cyrus  Walker  ranking  at  one  time  as  the 
four  leading  lawyers  of  the  state. 

Mr.  Banning's  name  may  be  placed  on  the  long 
roll  of  successful  men  whose  characters  have  been 
formed  largely  by  maternal  influence,  but  the  character 
of  his  father,  after  whom  he  was  named,  was  far  above 
the  average.  A  Virginian  by  birth,  and  of  the  class 
to  which  in  that  early  day  few  opportunities  of  educa- 
tion were  offered,  he  became  a  person  highly  esteemed 
among  the  early  settlers  of  Illinois  and  Kansas.  He 
turned  his  back  upon  slavery,  and  at  a  very  early  day 
settled  in  McDonough  County,  Illinois,  where  Ephraim 
Banning  was  born,  July  21,  1849.  Subsequently  the 
family  moved  to  Kansas,  and  in  that  territory  the  early 
boyhood  of  Ephraim  was  spent,  and  by  the  incidents 
of  his  life  among  the  early,  sturdy,  freedom-living  set- 
tlers of  "John  Brown's  Commonwealth,"  his  earnest 
devotion  to  the  cause  of  civil  and  religious  liberty 
doubtless  was  largely  determined.  From  Kansas  the 
Banning  family  moved  to  Missouri,  and  while  there 
the  Civil  war  broke  out.  Two  of  Mr.  Banning's 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


251 


brothers  promptly  enlisted  for  service  in  the  cause  of 
the  Union,  Ephraim — then  about  twelve  years  of  age — 
becoming  his  father's  "right-hand  man''  on  the  farm. 
One  of  the  brothers  gave  his  life  to  the  national  cause, 
the  other  served  with  honor  till  the  close  of  the  war. 
The  educational  advantages  of  a  frontier  settlement  in 
Missouri  during  the  war  times  were  not  of  the  best,  but 
young  Banning  made  the  most  of  them,  and  in  his  seven- 
teenth year  had  learned  all  the  schools  of  the  neighbor- 
hood could  teach,  and  afterward  attended  the 
Brookfield,  Missouri,  Academy,  where,  under  the  tutor- 
ship of  the  Rev.  J.  P.  Finley,  D.  D.,  he  studied  the 
classics  and  other  courses  of  a  liberal  education.  Subse- 
quently he  became  a  student  at  law  in  the  office  of  Hon. 
Samuel  P.  Huston  of  Brookfield. 

In  1871  Mr.  Banning  came  to  Chicago  and  acted  as 
student  and  clerk  in  the  law  office  of  Messrs.  Rosenthal 
&  Pence,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  of  Illinois  by 
the  Supreme  Court  in  June  of  the  following  year.  In 
October  he  opened  an  office  for  himself,  and  without 
the  advantage  of  influential  friends  or  political  patron- 
age soon  succeeded  in  gaining  a  fair  clientage  as  a  suc- 
cessful practitioner.  Speaking  of  his  early  experience, 
the  late  Judge  Henry  W.  Blodgett  has  said  that  "he  had 
a  large  and  varied  practice"  in  his  court,  and  that  "he 
showed  himself  a  good  admiralty  lawyer,  was  well 
equipped  on  all  questions  arising  under  the  bankrupt 
law  and  in  commercial  cases  generally,  as  \vell  as  in 
real  estate  law." 

Mr.  Banning' s  mind  was  directed  by  circumstances 
attendant  on  his  practice  and  by  natural  tendency  to 
a  special  study  of  the  law  of  patents,  and  after  about 
ten  years  he  practically  withdrew  from  general  prac- 
tice and  made  a  specialty  of  patent  cases.  There  is 
no  doubt  that  Mr.  Banning  would  have  achieved 
marked  success  as  a  general  practitioner,  for  he  has  an 
intellect  that  is  both  quick  and  cautious,  and  is  a  very 
convincing  speaker;  but  he  did  well  in  following  the 
bent  of  his  nature.  In  1877  he  was  joined  in  practice  by 
his  brother,  Thomas  A.  Banning,  and  in  1888  by  George 
S.  Payson,  who  was  succeeded  in  1894  by  Thomas  F. 
Sheridan,  who  retired  from  the  firm  in  1900.  Samuel 
W.  Banning,  son  of  Thomas  A.,  was  admitted  to  the 
firm  in  1903.  and  Walker  Banning,  son  of  Ephraim,  in 
1905.  For  twenty-five  years  or  more  the  firm  has  been 
not  only  eminent,  but  prominent,  in  the  management  of 
litigations  relative  to  patents  and  other  intellectual 
property.  Their  briefs  are  familiar  in  the  Supreme 
Court  of  the  United  States  and  in  the  Federal  courts  at 
Chicago,  Detroit,  Cleveland,  Pittsburg,  St.  Louis,  St. 
Paul,  Cincinnati,  Kansas  City.  Boston,  Philadelphia, 
New  York,  New  Orleans  and  other  places. 

Though  an  ardent  Republican,  Mr.  Banning 
remained  "a  private  in  the  ranks"  until  elected  a 


McKinley  presidential  elector  in  1896.  In  1897  he  was 
appointed  by  Governor  Tanner  to  the  unpaid,  but  hon- 
orable and  responsible,  office  of  member  of  the  State 
Board  of  Charities,  the  duties  of  which  he  was  peculiarly 
well  fitted  to  perform.  Early  in  1899  he  was  strongly 
urged  for  the  office  of  United  States  District  judge  at 
Chicago,  for  which  he  was  supported  by  Senators  Cul- 
lom  and  Mason  and  a  majority  of  the  Chicago  congress- 
men— five  out  of  seven — and,  as  stated  by  one  of  his 
opponents,  endorsed  by  "the  Republican  organizations 
of  the  state,  county  and  city,  together  with  the  bar  asso- 
ciation and  the  leading  citizens  of  Chicago."  The  Presi- 


EPHRAIM    BANNING. 

dent,  however,  had  other  plans,  and,  in  pursuance  of 
these,  made  a  personal  appointment. 

Mr.  Banning  is  a  member  of  the  Union  League  Club 
and  of  the  American.  State  and  Chicago  Bar  associa- 
tions, in  the  latter  of  which  he  has  at  times  been 
an  active  factor.  For  several  years  he  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  committee  of  the  Chicago  Bar  Associa- 
tion on  legislation  with  reference  to  Federal  judges  and 
practice  in  the  Federal  courts.  He  was  also  a  member 
of  its  committee  on  legislation  to  establish  the  juvenile 
court  in  Chicago  and  revise  the  laws  relating  to  the 
care  of  delinquent  and  dependent  children  in  Illinois. 
He  served  as  chairman  of  the  committee  on  Organiza- 
tion of  the  Congress  on  Patents  and  Trademarks,  held 
under  the  auspices  of  the  World's  Congress  Auxiliary  of 
the  World's  Columbian  Exposition,  in  1893.  and  which 
was  presided  over  by  Judge  Blodgett,  formerly  of  the 
United  States  Court  at  this  city.  He  was  chosen  by 
this  congress  as  one  of  five  to  present  certain  industrial 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


questions,  specially  relative  to  patents  and  trademarks, 
to  the  Congress  of  the  United  States. 

In  religion  Mr.  Banning  is  a  Presbyterian,  and  is 
an  elder  in  that  church.  He  has  been  twice  married — 
first,  to  Miss  Lucretia  T.  Lindsley,  who  died  in  1887, 
leaving  three  sons,  all  of  whom  survive ;  and,  second, 
to  Miss  Emilie  B.  Jenne.  He  resides  on  Washington 
boulevard,  near  Robey  street,  and  has  been  a  resident 
of  that  vicinity  for  over  thirty  years. 

John  Stocker  Miller,  son  of  John  and  Jane  (McLeod) 
Miller,  was  born  at  Louisville,  St.  Lawrence  County, 
New  York,  May  24,  1847.  Pursuing  his  earlier 
studies  in  the  common  schools  and  academy  in  his  native 
town,  he  later  entered  the  St.  Lawrence  University  at 


JOHN    STOCKER    MILLER. 

Canton,  New  York,  and  received  his  bachelor's  degree 
from  that  institution  with  the  class  of  '69.  He  then 
entered  upon  the  study  of  law  in  the  legal  department 
of  the  same  university,  and  in  the  following  year  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  at  Ogdensburg. 

Mr.  Miller  did  not  at  once  enter  upon  the  practice 
of  his  profession,  but  devoted  himself  to  teaching, 
becoming  professor  of  mathematics  in  his  alma  mater 
during  the  school  year  of  1871-72,  and  of  Latin  and 
Greek  for  the  two  years,  1872-74.  He  then  resigned, 
and  in  the  early  part  of  the  year  last  mentioned  came 
to  Chicago. 

Mr.  Miller's  preparation  in  the  law  had  been  most 
thorough  and  his  preceptors  men  of  high  standing  at 
the  bar.  As  a  natural  result  of  this  he  had  no  difficulty 
in  securing  a  foothold  and  building  up  a  satisfactory 


clientage  from  the  beginning  of  his  career  in  this  pro- 
fession. From  1874-76  he  practiced  alone,  and,  fol- 
lowing this  time,  in  association  with  George  Herbert 
and  John  H.  S.  Quick,  under  the  firm  name  of  Herbert, 
Quick  &  Miller.  After  the  death  of  Mr.  Herbert  some 
years  later,  the  firm  was  continued  under  the  name  of 
Quick  &  Miller,  until  1886,  when  Mr.  Miller  became 
associated  with  Senator  Henry  W.  Leman.  Four  years 
later  Merritt  Starr  was  admitted  to  the  firm,  and  since 
then  George  R.  Peck  has  succeeded  Mr.  Leman,  the 
style  of  the  firm  name  being  now  Peck,  Miller  &  Starr. 

Mr.  Miller  has  come  to  be  ranked  among  the  ablest 
and  most  successful  chancery  lawyers  in  Chicago,  and 
his  connections  with  numerous  important  cases  of  this 
nature,  among  them  the  "Flagler,"  "Riverside"  and 
"Phillips  and  South  Park"  litigations,  brought  him 
prominently  before  the  public.  The  manner  in  which  he 
acquitted  himself  in  these  and  other  cases  led  to  his 
being  appointed  corporation  counsel  of  Chicago  by 
Mayor  Washburn  in  the  spring  of  1891. 

This  most  important  post  Mr.  Miller  held  for  the 
following  two  years,  and  in  this  time  was  exceedingly 
active  in  behalf  of  the  interests  of  the  city  in  several 
cases  against  railroad  companies,  involving  the  eleva- 
tion of  tracks  and  extension  of  the  city  streets  over 
the  same.  The  celebrated  "Lake  Front"  case  against 
the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  Company  was  also  argued 
by  Mr.  Miller  in  behalf  of  the  city  during  this  period. 
He  retired  from  this  office  in  1893  and  has  since  then 
devoted  himself  to  general  practice. 

Mr.  Miller  is  an  influential  Republican  and  a  mem- 
ber of  St.  Paul's  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  in  Ken- 
wood. He  is  affiliated  with  the  Union  League, 
Chicago,  Hamilton,  Kenwood  and  other  clubs.  He  was 
married  December  12,  1887,  to  Miss  Ann  Gross  of  this 
city,  and  has  two  children,  a  son  and  a  daughter. 

William  W.  Gurley,  prominent  in  transportation 
circles  of  the  United  States  on  account  of  his  connec- 
tion with  several  traction  companies  as  general  counsel, 
was  born  in  Mt.  Gilead,  Ohio,  January  27,  1851.  He 
was  the  son  of  John  J.  Gurley,  also  a  lawyer,  who  was 
a  member  of  the  constitutional  convention  of  Ohio  and 
who  served  as  probate  judge  of  Morrow:  County. 

After  attending  the  public  schools  of  Mt.  Gilead, 
Mr.  Gurley  entered  Ohio  Wesleyan  University,  and  was 
graduated  in  1870.  During  the  year  after  his  gradua- 
tion he  was  superintendent  of  public  schools  of  Seville, 
Ohio.  He  then  gave  up  teaching,  read  law  in  his 
father's  office  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  June, 


Mr.  Gurley  came  to  Chicago  in  September,  1874, 
and  has  been  practicing  law  here  since.  His  work  has 
been  principally  corporation  practice,  and  during  his 
more  than  thirty  years  in  Chicago  he  has  organized  and 
acted  as  general  counsel  of  many  large  companies.  He 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


253 


became  identified  with  traction  interests  first  in  1888, 
when  he  aided  in  the  organization  of  and  became  gen- 
eral counsel  of  the  South  Side  Elevated  Railroad. 

He  was  one  of  the  incorporators  of  the  Metropolitan 
West  Side  Elevated  Railroad,  which  was  organized  in 
March,  1892,  and  has  up  to  the  present  time  acted  as 
general  counsel  of  the  company.  In  1901  he  was 


WILLIAM    W.    GURLEY. 

appointed  general  counsel  of  the  Union  Traction  Com- 
pany and  has  been  brought  prominently  before  the 
public  since,  owing  to  the  protracted  litigation  between 
the  company  and  city  over  the  company's  rights. 

Mr.  Gurley  is  a  member  of  the  Chicago,  Union 
League,  Washington  Park,  Chicago  Golf,  Exmoor, 
Country  and  Edgewater  Golf  clubs.  The  New  York 
Club  and  the  Transportation  Club  of  New  York  City. 
His  wife  is  a  daughter  of  Joseph  Turney,  who  served 
two  terms  as  state  treasurer  of  Ohio.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Gurley  and  their  one  daughter,  Helen  Kathryn,  reside 
at  528  North  State  street.  Mr.  Gurley's  offices  have 
been  in  the  Marquette  building  for  several  years. 

Charles  M.  Aldrich,  one  of  the  leading  lawyers  of 
Chicago  and  one  of  the  foremost  exponents  of  corpora- 
tion law  in  the  country,  was  born  in  Lagrange,  Indiana, 
August  26,  1850.  Both  his  father  and  mother.  Hamil- 
ton M.  and  Harriet  (Sherwood)  Aldrich,  came  from 
the  East,  the  former  from  Vermont  and  the  latter  from 
New  York.  The  Aldriches  spring  from  old  English 
stock,  though  the  family  have  been  native  Americans 
for  the  last  few  generations.  As  a  boy  Mr.  Aldrich 
worked  on  his  father's  farm  until  the  age  of  sixteen, 
obtaining  in  the  meantime  such  elementary  education  as 


a  common  school  would  permit.  His  parents  then 
moved  to  Orland,  Steuben  County,  Indiana,  to  allow 
their  children  better  educational  advantages.  Charles 
H.  entered  the  Orland  seminary  at  sixteen,  and,  com- 
pleting his  studies  there,  entered  the  high  school  at 
Coldwater,  Michigan.  Thence  he  went  to  the  University 
of  Michigan  at  Ann  Arbor,  graduating  with  the  class  of 
'75,  receiving  a  bachelor's  degree,  classical  course.  In 
1893  the  faculty  conferred  upon  him  the  honorary 
degree  of  M.  A. 

Mr.  Aldrich  began  the  practice  of  law  at  Fort 
Wayne,  Indiana,  then  the  second  city  to  Indianapolis  in 
the  state  in  point  of  population,  wealth  and  progress. 
From  the  outset  he  assumed  a  leading  place  at  the 
Indiana  liar.  In  1884  he  was  urged  by  leading  Repub- 
licans to  become  a  candidate  for  the  nomination  to  the 
state's  attorney-general's  office.  Without  making  any 
campaign  whatsoever  to  promote  his  candidacy,  he  fell 
short  of  the  nomination  by  only  a  few  votes.  In  1886 
he  moved  to  Chicago.  He  gained  a  national  reputation 
in  the  Central  and  Southern  Railroad,  the  Union  Pacific 
Railroad  and  the  Western  Union  Telegraph  cases,  in 


CHARLES    H.    ALDRICH. 

which  he  successfully  upheld  the  side  of  the  federal  gov- 
ernment against  the  most  eminent  lawyers  in  the  coun- 
try. These  cases  both  served  to  augment  his  profes- 
sional reputation  and  practice,  and  led  to  his  selection 
as  Solicitor-General  under  President  Harrison.  After 
serving  the  Republican  administration  for  several  years 
he  returned  to  Chicago  to  resume  his  private  practice, 
which  has  since  continued  uninterruptedly.  Among  his 


254 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


clients  are  some  of  the  largest  corporate  interests  in 
the  West. 

Mr.  Aldrich  is  an  ex-president  of  the  Chicago  Law 
Club  and  trustee  of  the  Chicago  Law  Institute.  He  has 
also  served  as  vice-president  and  member  of  committee 
of  political  action  of  the  Union  League  Club.  He  was 
married  on  October  13,  1875,  to  Miss  Helen  Roberts 
of  Indiana.  They  have  a  family  of  one  son  and  two 
daughters. 

Charles  S.Thornton  was  born  in  Boston,  Massachu- 
setts, April  12,  1851.  He  attended  the  public  schools  of 
Boston,  including  the  Boston  Latin  School,  and  grad- 
uated from  Harvard  College  in  1872.  He  came  to  Chi- 
cago and  has  remained  here  continuously  since  that 
date.  He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  on  examination  by 
the  Supreme  Court  of  Illinois  in  the  fall  of  1873.  He 
entered  into  active  practice  immediately,  and  has  con- 
tinued ever  since.  He  entered  into  business  relations 
with  Mr.  Justus  Chancellor  in  1883. 

For  many  years  Mr.  Thornton  has  been  the  senior 
member  of  the  firm  which  has  always  been  known  as 
Thornton  &  Chancellor,  although  for  many  years  the 


CHARLES   S.   THORNTON. 

firm  comprised  eight  practicing  lawyers.  Mr.  Thornton 
has  served  the  public  as  president  of  the  board  of  edu- 
cation of  Auburn  Park,  where  he  resides,  and  has 
been  a  member  of  the  several  boards  of  education  of 
Illinois,  Cook  County  and  Chicago.  He  was  corpora- 
tion counsel  of  the  Town  of  Lake  and  afterwards  cor- 
poration counsel  of  the  City  of  Chicago.  His  practice 
at  the  bar  has  been  largely  in  the  direction  of  corpora- 


tion and  real  estate  litigation.  In  politics  he  has  always 
been  a  Democrat,  and  has  managed  several  local  cam- 
paigns for  his  party.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic 
and  Odd  P'ellows  orders. 

Adams  Augustus  Goodrich,  senior  member  of  Good- 
rich, Vincent  &  Bradley,  has  a  large  practice  in  both  the 
civil  and  criminal  courts  of  Cook  County.  At  different 


ADAMS    AUGUSTUS    GOODRICH. 

times  he  has  been  elected  to  the  offices  of  state's  attorney 
and  judge. 

Mr.  Goodrich  was  born  at  Jerseyville,  Jersey  County, 
Illinois,  January  8,  1849.  His  grandfather,  Clark  H. 
Goodrich,  was  one  of  the  pioneer  lawyers  of  the  state, 
coming  here  in  1840  and  becoming  district  attorney  of 
the  old  first  district,  of  which  Peoria  was  then  a  part. 
Mr.  Goodrich  received  his  early  education  in  the  Jersey- 
ville elementary  and  high  schools. 

When  he  was  sixteen  years  old  his  uncle,  Congress- 
man A.  L.  Knapp,  secured  an  appointment  for  him  in 
the  United  States  military  academy  at  West  Point.  He 
followed  his  studies  there  for  three  and  a  half  years,  and 
when  the  course  was  almost  completed  decided  to 
abandon  his  military  prospects  on  account  of  ill  health 
and  a  preference  for  a  professional  career.  After  a  two 
years'  trip  through  the  West  he  began  reading  law  in 
the  office  of  his  uncle,  Robert  M.  Knapp,  at  Jerseyville, 
and  later  at  Springfield,  Illinois,  in  the  office  of  the 
Hon.  A.  L.  Knapp. 

At  the  bar  examination  of  1873  he  was  admitted, 
and  at  once  started  to  practice  in  Jerseyville.  In  1878 
he  was  elected  state's  attorney  of  Jersey  County,  and 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


255 


re-elected  with  increasing  majorities  to  the  office  in  1880 
and  1884.  In  October,  1887,  he  resigned  the  prose- 
cutor's office  to  enter  the  field  as  a  candidate  for  county 
judge  of  Jersey  County,  and  was  elected  to  this  office 
in  November,  1887. 

While  still  a  judge  he  opened  law  offices  in  Chicago, 
and  in  1889  moved  here  and  made  his  permanent  resi- 
dence in  this  city.  When  Judge  Richard  Prendergast 
was  county  judge  of  Cook  County,  it  was  often  neces- 
sary that  he  be  absent  from  the  bench,  and  during  such 
occasions  Judge  Goodrich  invariably  was  invited  from 
his  Jersey  County  bench  to  preside  for  him.  Later  Mr. 
Goodrich  became  attorney  for  the  drainage  board  and 
had  charge  of  the  immense  number  of  condemnation 
suits  that  were  fought  by  that  body. 

Judge  Goodrich  is  a  Democrat  in  politics,  and  dur- 
ing the  incumbency  of  the  younger  Mayor  Harrison 
was  chairman  of  the  board  of  Bridewell  inspectors.  He 
has  always  taken  an  active  part  in  municipal  affairs,  but 
has  never  been  a  candidate  for  any  political  office  in 
Chicago. 

In  1895  he  was  appointed  by  Governor  Altgeld  one 
of  the  five  trustees  to  select  a  location,  establish  and 
build  the  Northern  Illinois  Normal  School.  He  was 
the  first  president  of  the  board  when  the  school  was 
established  at  De  Kalb.  In  1900  he  was  re-elected  for 
another  five-year  term. 

Judge  Goodrich  is  a  Knight  Templar,  Odd  Fellow 
and  Knight  of  Pythias  and  a  member  of  the  Chicago 
Athletic,  the  Iroquois,  the  Washington  Park,  Chicago 
and  other  local  clubs. 

Albert  J.  Hopkins,  junior  senator  from  Illinois,  is  a 
distinctive  product  of  the  state  he  represents  in  the 
upper  house  of  the  Congress  of  the  United  States.  He 
shares  with  General  John  A.  Logan  the  distinction  of 
being  the  only  native  born  Illinoisan  to  represent  his 
state  in  the  Senate.  As  a  lawyer  and  as  a  member  of 
both  houses  of  Congress,  Senator  Hopkins  has  a  strong, 
clean  and  clear-cut  record. 

He  was  born  on  a  farm  in  De  Kalb  County,  August 
15,  1846.  This  environment  developed  a  strong,  robust 
constitution  and  an  ambition  for  a  thorough  education. 
To  attain  this  end  much  self  denial  and  painstaking 
economy  was  practiced.  After  the  usual  experience 
of  the  country  boy  in  the  district  school  and  the  town 
schools  he  entered  Hillsdale  (Michigan)  College.  He 
was  graduated  from  this  institution  in  the  spring  of 
1870,  and  his  alma  mater  has  since  honored  him  with 
the  degree  of  LL.  D.  The  bar  was  his  aim  from  the 
start,  and  after  graduation  he  studied  law  and  com- 
menced the  practice  of  his  profession  at  Aurora.  He 
soon  entered  politics,  and  was  elected  state's  attorney  of 
Kane  County  in  1872,  holding  that  office  for  four  years. 
His  record  as  state's  attorney  brought  him  a  large  and 


lucrative  practice.  He  kept  up  his  interest  in  political 
affairs  and  was  a  member  of  the  Republican  state  central 
committee  from  1878  to  1880,  and  was  on  the  list  of 
presidential  electors  on  the  Elaine  and  Logan  ticket  in 
1884. 

Senator  Hopkins  was  first  elected  to  Congress  to 
fill  a  vacancy  caused  by  the  death  of  the  Hon.  Reuben 
Ellwood,  during  the  Forty-ninth  Congress.  From  then 
on  he  served  continuously  during  the  Fiftieth,  Fifty-first, 
Fifty-second,  Fifty-third,  Fifty-fourth,  Fifty-fifth,  Fifty- 
sixth  and  Fifty-seventh  Congresses.  This  service 
of  nearly  eighteen  years  in  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives gave  him  a  leading  position  in  the  Illinois 
delegation  in  Congress.  During  the  time  he  served 


ALBERT    J.    HOPKINS. 

on  many  of  the  leading  committees  of  the  House, 
notably  the  merchant  marine  and  fisheries,  post- 
offices  and  postroads,  and  ways  and  means.  The  import- 
ance of  his  work  on  the  ways  and  means  committee, 
which  is  the  most  important  committee  in  Congress, 
extended  over  a  period  of  twelve  years.  The  sub-com- 
mittee which  framed  the  Dingley  law  was  guided  in  a 
large  measure  by  him.  As  a  member  of  that  sub-com- 
mittee he  helped  to  frame  all  the  tariff  legislation  that 
has  been  enacted  by  Congress  since  the  McKinley  bill. 
In  1902  when  the  Republicans  of  the  state  began  to 
cast  about  for  a  suitable  candidate  for  the  senate  to 
succeed  the  Hon.  Wm.  E.  Mason,  the  logical  man  for 
the  honor  was  Representative  Albert  J.  Hopkins.  For 
many  years  he  had  been  one  of  the  leading  members  of 
the  Illinois  delegation  in  the  House,  and  this  combined 
with  his  clean  record  as  a  lawyer  and  a  citizen  made  him 


25(> 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


the  most  available  man.  His  choice  was  settled  upon  at 
the  state  convention  in  the  fall  of  1902,  and  this  action 
was  confirmed  by  the  legislature  in  January  of  the  next 
year.  He  took  his  seat  in  the  Senate  at  the  extra  ses- 
sion of  that  body  on  March  4,  1903.  Though  one  of 
the  comparatively  new  members  in  the  Senate  his  ability 
has  been  already  recognized  in  his  appointment  on  a 
number  of  the  important  committees.  He  is  chairman 
of  the  fisheries  committee  and  also  member  of  the  fol- 
lowing: Commerce,  corporations  in  the  District  of 
Columbia,  Cuban  relations,  enrollment  of  bills,  Inter- 
oceanic  canals,  Mississippi  river  and  its  tributaries,  priv- 
ileges and  elections  and  disposition  of  documents.  In  the 
reorganization  of  the  Senate  at  the  coming  session  he 
will  no  doubt  be  recognized  even  more  fully  than  he 
has  been. 

Senator  Hopkins  has  always  been  a  friend  of  labor 
and  has  taken  an  active  interest  in  all  legislation  that 
tended  to  shorten  working  hours,  and  to  ameliorate 
the  condition  of  the  working  man.  Much  of  the  legis- 
lation that  has  improved  the  condition  of  the  American 
sailor  was  secured  by  his  active  support  and  cooperation 
while  a  member  of  the  committee  on  merchant  marine 
in  the  House  of  Representatives.  He  has  already  taken 
a  prominent  part  in  the  deliberations  of  the  Senate  con- 
cerning the  building  of  the  Panama  canal.  While  the 
treaty  between  the  United  States  and  Panama  was  pend- 
ing in  the  Senate  he  ably  defended  the  action  of  the 
administration  in  recognizing  the  Republic  of  Panama, 
and  in  negotiating  the  treaty  which  secured  the  authority 
to  the  United  States  of  constructing  and  maintaining 
the  canal. 

Senator  Hopkins  is  a  strong,  virile  individual. 
Intellectually  and  physically  he  might  be  said  to  be  in 
his  prime.  His  friends  and  constituents  in  Illinois  look 
forward  to  seeing  him  take  a  leading  and  commanding 
position  in  the  Senate  of  the  United  States  within  the 
next  few  years.  Within  recent  years  he  has  identified 
himself  more  closely  with  Chicago  interests  than  for- 
merly. The  large  practice  that  has  come  to  him  has 
necessitated  his  moving  his  law  offices  to  this  city,  and 
he  is  now  the  senior  member  of  the  firm  of  Hopkins, 
Peffers  &  Hopkins,  with  offices  in  The  Temple.  His 
home  he  still  keeps  in  Aurora.  Senator  Hopkins  was 
married  to  Emma  C.  Stolp  of  Aurora.  They  have  an 
interesting  family  of  four  children. 

William  5.  Forrest,  the  celebrated  criminal  lawyer, 
was  born  in  Baltimore,  July  9,  1852.  After  receiving  a 
thorough  school  education  in  his  native  city,  he  entered 
Dartmouth  College,  where  he  was  graduated  in  1875, 
with  a  classical  degree.  From  Dartmouth  he  went  to 
Boston,  reading  law  there  for  three  years.  Coming  to 
Chicago,  he  readily  passed  the  Illinois  bar  examinations 
and  commenced  his  practice. 


Equipped  with  a  comprehensive  knowledge  of  the 
various  branches  of  law  and  endowed  with  the  gift  of 
oratory,  he  has  been  peculiarly  qualified  to  succeed  in 
his  particular  branch  of  jurisprudence,  criminal  law,  of 
which  he  has  become  one  of  the  most  eminent  expo- 
nents in  the  country.  He  has  figured  in  many  notable 
cases  which  gave  him  a  national  reputation,  of  which 
the  famous  Cronin  murder  cases  probably  attracted  the 
widest  attention.  In  the  John  Lamb  case,  almost 
equally  famous,  Mr  Forrest  secured  the  defendant's 
acquittal  after  a  four-year  fight.  In  this  case  Lamb  had 
been  adjudged  guilty  of  murder  through  circumstantial 
evidence,  and  sentenced  to  be  hanged.  The  case  was 
appealed,  and  the  first  decision  reversed.  The  chief 


WILLIAM    S.    FORREST. 

point  of  contention  was  the  liability  of  a  conspirator  for 
the  acts  of  a  co-conspirator.  The  Schank  case  was  an- 
other where  Mr.  Forrest  distinguished  himself.  Here 
he  secured  the  acquittal  of  the  defendant  upon  a  murder 
charge  by  showing  that  the  deceased  party  met  his  death 
through  malpractice  of  the  attending  surgeon  after  the 
stabbing. 

Another  example  of  his  astuteness  was  exhibited  in 
the  McLain  brothers  case,  in  which  the  defendants 
were  charged  by  the  federal  government  with  using 
the  mails  for  fraudulent  purposes.  The  McLain  brothers 
were  prominent  board  of  trade  operators,  and  the  charge 
was  "bucket-shopping."  Mr.  Forrest  raised  the  con- 
tention that  bucket-shopping  was  gambling  rather  than 
fraud,  and,  after  a  month's  argument,  during  which  no 
evidence  was  introduced,  the  court  sustained  his  point 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


257 


and  the  men  were  discharged.  He  secured  an  acquittal 
in  the  case  of  the  state  against  Officer  John  Baginski, 
charged  with  killing  an  Italian  and  wounding  two  others. 
In  defending  E.  S.  Dreyer,  the  banker,  he  secured  a 
disagreement  of  the  jury.  The  Chandler  embezzlement 
case  ended  in  an  acquittal.  In  the  first  case  of  John 
Dal  ton,  who  had  been  sentenced  to  the  penitentiary  for 
two  years  for  fraudulent  use  of  the  mails,  Mr.  Forrest 
carried  the  case  to  the  United  States  Court  of  Appeals, 
and  the  decision  was  reversed.  In  the  second  case, 
where  Dal  ton  was  tried  for  sending  lottery  advertising 
matter  from  one  state  to  another,  the  prosecution  intro- 
duced eighty-six  witnesses,  and  the  defense  none,  but 
the  case  ended  in  a  disagreement.  He  secured  the 
release  of  Alderman  John  J.  Brennan,  who  had  been  con- 
victed of  election  fraud,  by  having  the  decision  set  aside 
in  the  appellate  court. 

He  also  successfully  defended  Charles  Spalding, 
Thomas  J.  O'Malley,  John  D.  Snearly  and  James  Maney, 
lieutenant  of  the  Fifteenth  United  States  Infantry,  and 
Baron  von  Beidenfeld.  He  has  been  equally  successful 
in  conducting  prosecutions,  notably  Mannow  and  Wind- 
rath,  who  were  hanged  for  the  murder  of  Carey  B.  Birch, 
Lake  and  Griswold,  who  received  a  life  sentence  for  kill- 
ing Patrick  Owens,  and  Healy  and  Robbard,  who  were 
tried  in  Dubuque,  Iowa,  and  sentenced  for  life  for  the 
murder  of  two  private  policemen.  He  was  retained  by 
the  civic  federation  in  1894  to  prosecute  sixty-nine 
Democrats  for  election  frauds.  Three  were  sent  to  the 
penitentiary,  and  forty-nine  were  fined.  He  conducted 
the  criminal  prosecutions  for  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  & 
St.  Paul  Railroad  for  three  years,  securing  during  that 
time  189  convictions. 

During  his  legal  career  Mr.  Forrest  has  participated, 
either  for  defense  or  prosecution,  in  over  two  hundred 
and  fifty  homicide  cases,  in  which  his  percentage  of  suc- 
cesses has  been  so  great  as  to  entitle  him  to  his  present 
high  rank  in  criminal  law. 

Granville  W.  Browning  was  born  at  Indianapolis, 
Indiana,  March  14,  1856.  After  graduating  from  the 
Literary  Department  of  Michigan  University  with  the 
class  of  1877  he  came  to  Chicago,  read  law  in  the  office 
of  the  late  William  H.  King,  and  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  in  June,  1880. 

Since  his  admission  to  the  bar  Mr.  Browning  has 
been  actively  engaged  in  the  practice  of  his  profession, 
devoting  himself  to  real  estate  and  corporation  law.  He 
was  first  a  partner  of  Judge  Samuel  M.  Moore,  for  a 
long  time  chancellor  of  the  Superior  Court,  and  after- 
wards was  associated  with  Col.  Alexander  M.  Wool- 
folk.  Since  1898  he  has  been  associated  with  Stuart  G. 
Shepard.  Mr.  Browning  was  a  candidate  for  judge  on 
the  Democratic  ticket  in  1893  and  1897,  but  both 
tickets  went  down  in  landslides.  Mr.  Browning 

17 


received  the  highest  number  of  votes  cast  for  any  can- 
didate on  the  ticket  in  1897. 

Mr.  Browning  was  appointed  first  assistant  corpora- 
tion counsel  of  the  City  of  Chicago  by  Mayor  Harri- 
son, in  July  of  1897,  and  has  represented  the  city  as 
special  counsel  since  1899  m  many  important  cases  with 
uniform  success.  His  most  notable  victory  was  in  the 
famous  "Lake  Front"  case,  in  the  Supreme  Court  of  the 
United  States,  which  had  dragged  along  in  the  courts 
in  different  forms  for  twenty  years,  the  riparian  rights 
and  real  property  in  dispute  being  estimated  to  be  worth 
$100,000,000.  Mr.  Browning  conducted  the  final  liti- 
gation in  the  case,  defeating  the  claims  of  the  Illinois 
Central  Railroad  Co.,  to  enlarge  its  use  of  the  lake  shore 


GRANVILLE    W.    BROWNING. 

along  the  entire  Lake  Front  to  Fiftieth  street.  He  also 
won  the  case  of  the  People's  Gas  Light  &  Coke 
Company  against  the  city,  in  the  Supreme  Court  of  the 
United  States,  where  all  contract  rights  to  charge  one 
dollar  per  1,000  feet  of  gas,  as  set  up  by  the  company, 
were  defeated.  He  also  won  the  Van  Buren  street 
tunnel  case,  wherein  the  Illinois  Supreme  Court  ordered 
the  West  Chicago  Street  Railway  Company  to  lower 
the  Van  Buren  street  tunnel,  so  that  the  navigation 
of  the  Chicago  river  might  be  restored.  Mr.  Browning 
took  the  position  that  the  tunnel  destroyed  navigation 
and  must  be  lowered  as  a  nuisance  at  the  company's 
expense  and  the  Supreme  Court  sustained  his  posi- 
tion. 

He  has  recently  won  the  Westfall  case,  wherein  one 
party  sought  to  reduce  Lake  avenue  south  of  Jackson 
Park  to  a  street  eighty  feet  wide,  and  others  sought  to 


258 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


recover  the  entire  street  as  private  property.  He 
obtained  a  decree,  maintaining  the  street  perpetually 
as  a  street  150  feet  wide.  Mr.  Browning'  also  won  the 
League  ball  club  case,  establishing  the  militia  law  in 
this  state ;  the  Eisendrath  case,  recovering  Sangamon 
street,  for  many  years  used  as  private  property ;  the 
Shirk  case,  reclaiming  the  corner  of  Park  Row  and 
Michigan  avenue,  and  restoring  it  to  the  public,  and 
many  other  cases  involving  important  public  questions. 

Mr.  Browning  has  also  been  a  Master  in  Chancery 
of  the  Superior  Court  of  Cook  County  for  some  years. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Fourth  Presbyterian  Church  and 
of  the  University,  Chicago,  Onwentsia  and  Saddle  & 
Cycle  clubs  and  of  the  Law  Club,  the  Bar  Association 
and  other  organizations.  Mr.  Browning  was  married  in 
1903  and  lives  in  the  Twenty-first  Ward. 

Paul  Brown  of  the  law  firm  of  Horton  &  Brown, 
although  still  a  comparatively  young  man,  has  been 
prominent  in  legal  circles  of  Chicago  for  a  score  of 


PAUL    BROWN. 

years.  He  is  the  son  of  Dr.  Henry  T.  Brown,  one  of 
the  early  settlers  of  Illinois,  who  came  to  McHenry 
County  from  New  York.  His  mother  is  a  native  of 
Vermont.  His  primary  and  higher  English  education 
was  obtained  in  the  common  and  high  schools  of 
McHenry  County,  his  native  county. 

After  completing  his  high  school  course.  Mr.  Brown 
came  to  Chicago  and  studied  law  in  the  office  of  Hoyne, 
Horton  &  Hoyne,  then  one  of  the  most  prominent 
firms  in  the  city.  In  the  spring  of  1885,  he  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  and  a  few  months  later  was 
appointed  Master  in  Chancery  of  the  Circuit  Court  of 


Cook  County.  So  well  did  Mr.  Brown  meet  the 
requirements  of  the  position  that  he  was  reappointed 
three  times.  In  the  fall  of  1893  after  eight  years  serv- 
ice he  resigned  in  order  to  devote  his  entire  time  to 
private  practice. 

In  1889  Mr.  Brown  formed  a  partnership  with 
Clarence  A.  Knight,  and  this  continued  until  1903. 
They  were  largely  engaged  in  corporate  and  chancery 
practice  and  represented  several  railway  companies  as 
general  solicitors.  After  leaving  the  firm  of  Knight  & 
Brown  Mr.  Brown,  in  the  fall  of  1903,  formed  a  part- 
nership with  Oliver  H.  Horton,  then  but  recently 
retired  from  the  Circuit  Court  bench,  where  he  had 
served  for  sixteen  years.  While  engaged  in  a  general 
practice,  the  firm  is  counsel  for  a  large  insurance  com- 
pany and  has  recently  administered  the  affairs  of  an 
elevator  company,  handling  more  than  a  million  dollars 
in  a  year. 

Mr.  Brown  is  a  member  of  the  Union  League,  Mid- 
day and  Calumet  clubs.  In  1888  he  was  married  to 
Miss  Grace  A.  Owens,  daughter  of  O.  W.  Owens  of 
McHenry  County  and  they  have  a  family  of  two  boys 
and  a  girl. 

Thomas  S.  Hog<m,  conspicuous  in  legal  circles  of 
Chicago,  was  born  in  Chicago,  January  31,  1860.  His 
father,  M.  W.  Hogan,  also  an  attorney,  moved  to  St. 
Louis  soon  after  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born, 
became  state's  attorney  and  held  the  office  for  twelve 
years  and  other  state  and  municipal  offices  during  his 
long  residence  in  that  city. 

After  graduating  from  the  St.  Louis  University  with 
the  degree  of  Master  of  Arts,  Mr.  Hogan  studied  law 
in  the  office  of  Ex-Governor  Reynolds  of  Missouri  and 
Judge  Irwin  Z.  Smith.  He  later  attended  the  Wash- 
ington University,  where  he  obtained  the  degree  of 
LL.  B.,  and  was  admitted  to  practice  in  the  courts  of 
Missouri,  April  10,  1882.  Returning  to  Chicago  in 
1886,  Mr.  Hogan  was  within  a  month  admitted  to  the 
bar  of  Illinois  and  has  since  been  engaged  in  general 
practice  in  the  state  and  federal  courts. 

In  the  course  of  his  practice  in  Chicago  Mr.  Hogan 
has  been  engaged  as  counsel  in  much  important  litiga- 
tion. As  associate  counsel  for  plaintiff  he  helped  to 
secure  the  largest  verdict  ever  rendered  in  a  personal 
injury  case,  the  amount  being  $40,000,  in  the  case  of 
Bush  vs.  the  Northern  Pacific  Railroad  Company.  The 
case  was  heard  before  Judge  Gresham  in  the 
United  States  Circuit  Court.  Mr.  Hogan  also  rep- 
resented Richard  Mansfield  in  the  litigation  brought 
against  the  actor  by  S.  E.  Gross  involving  the  author- 
ship of  the  play,  Cyrano  de  Bergerac.  The  case 
involving  the  title  of  the  play,  Sherlock  Holmes,  in 
which  he  represented  Charles  Frohman,  William  Gil- 
lette and  Conan  Doyle  in  the  Supreme  Court  of  Illi- 
nois was  decided  in  favor  of  his  clients.  He  also  repre- 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


259 


santed  Mr.  Frohman  in  the  Little  Minister  case.  In 
the  Iroquois  theater  cases  before  the  Cook  County 
coroner  he  successfully  guarded  the  interests  of  his 
clients,  Kla\v  and  Erlanger.  He  has  been  frequently 
called  to  other  American  cities  and  to  London,  Eng- 
land, to  represent  clients. 

Mr.  Hogan  is  a  director  in  the  National  Printing 
&  Engraving  Company,  the  United  Chemists'  Asso- 
ciation, the  Credit  Protective  Association,  the  San 
Marcos  Rubber  Plantation  Company,  the  Colonial  Min- 
ing Company,  the  American  Amusement  Company  and 
the  United  States  Amusement  Company.  He  is  a 
member  of  many  of  the  leading  clubs  of  Chicago,  and 
an  honorary  member  of  clubs  in  New  York, 
Boston,  St.  Louis,  London  and  Paris.  At  present  he  is 
a  member  of  the  firm  Hogan  &  Hogan,  which  has 
an  extensive  practice  throughout  the  country. 

Mr.  Hogan  is  not  married  and  resides  at  1578  Jack- 
son boulevard.  He  has  probably  one  of  the  finest 
private  libraries  in  Chicago.  He  is  the  author  of 
several  plays  and  has  a  reputation  for  public  speaking. 


THOMAS    S.    HOGAN. 

Mr.  Hogan  has  never  held  a  public  office.  Several 
times  he  has  been  tendered  the  nomination  for  judge, 
but  has  declined  each  time. 

Edward  J.  Brundagc  was  born  at  Campbell,  New 
York,  May  13,  1869,  and  attended  the  public  schools  in 
Detroit,  Michigan.  At  the  age  of  fourteen  lie  entered 
a  railroad  office  in  Detroit,  remaining  there  until  the 
removal  of  the  general  office  to  Chicago,  in  1885.  Mr. 
Brundage  at  once  took  up  the  duties  of  the  position  at 
Chicago  and  remained  with  the  company  until  1898, 


at  which  time  he  had  risen  to  the  position  of  chief  clerk. 
He  studied  law  at  night,  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in 
1892,  and  was  graduated  from  the  Chicago  College  of 
Law  the  following  year.  In  1898  he  was  elected  a 
member  of  the  Forty-first  General  Assembly.  He  was 
appointed  by  Governor  Tanner  as  one  of  the  two  vice- 
presidents  from  Illinois  to  the  Pan-American  Exposi- 
tion and  was  later  named  as  a  member  of  the  Illinois 


EDWARD    J.    BRUNDAGE. 

State  Commission.  In  1902  he  was  again  elected  a 
member  of  the  Illinois  General  Assembly.  Pie  was 
elected  president  of  the  board  of  commissioners  of  Cook 
County  on  the  Republican  ticket  in  November,  1904. 
Mr.  Brundage  is  engaged  in  the  practice  of  law,  and  has 
represented  the  state  on  several  occasions  as  special 
counsel. 

John  f.  Smulski  has  achieved  success  in  more  lines 
of  effort  than  often  fall  to  the  lot  of  a  man  of  his  age. 
He  has  been  successful  in  business,  in  law,  in  politics 
and  in  the  public  service.  For  seven  years  he  has  been 
the  president  of  the  Pulaski  Lumber  Company,  a  pros- 
perous and  growing  concern;  with  his  father,  William 
Smulski,  he  has  been  instrumental  in  building  up  an 
extensive  and  profitable  publishing  business;  he  has 
built  up  a  lucrative  law  practice,  and  four  times  in  the 
last  eight  years  the  people  have  approved  his  acts  as  a 
public  servant  by  re-electing  him  by  increasing  major- 
ities. 

Mr.  Smulski  was  born  in  German  Poland  in  1867. 
and  came  to  this  country  when  thirteen  years  old.  His 
education  was  begun  in  Germany,  but  completed  in  this 
country,  when  he  graduated  from  St.  Jerome's  College, 


260 


THE    CITY    OF   CHICAGO. 


Berlin,  Canada,  in  1884.  After  his  graduation  he  joined 
his  father  in  the  publication  of  the  Polish  Catholic 
Gazette,  to  which  he  devoted  his  energies  for  four  years. 
It  was  the  first  Polish  paper  established  in  this  country, 
its  publication  having  been  begun  in  1871  by  William 
Smulski.  who  came  to  America  in  1869. 

In    1888   Mr.   Smulski   decided  to  study  law.      He 


JOHN    F.    SMULSKI. 

graduated  from  the  Union  College  of -Law  in  1890,  and 
at  once  entered  upon  the  practice  of  his  profession. 

But  it  is  in  politics  that  Mr.  Smulski  has  achieved  his 
greatest  success.  From  boyhood  he  had  taken  an 
interest  in  the  politics  of  his  ward,  always  affiliating 
with  the  Republican  party.  In  1896  the  Republicans  of 
the  Sixteenth  ward  insisted  that  lie  make  the  race  for 
alderman  against  Peter  Kiolbassa,  the  Democratic 
candidate.  Mr.  Kiolbassa  had  always  been  popular 
among  the  Polish  voters,  who  largely  constitute  its 
citizenship,  and  he  entered  the  contest  with  the  prestige 
of  having  just  come  from  two  years'  service  as  city 
treasurer.  The  ward  was  nominally  Democratic  by 
3,000  majority,  but  Mr.  Smulski  was  defeated  by  only 
sixty-three  votes. 

In  1898  Henry  Ludolph,  one  of  the  Democratic 
aldermen,  was  killed  in  a  railroad  accident  and  Mr. 
Smulski  was  elected  to  fill  the  unexpired  term.  He  was 
continuously  re-elected  alderman  until  1903,  when  he 
was  elected  city  attorney  on  the  Republican  ticket, 
being  its  only  successful  candidate.  When  he  entered 
the  office  he  found  the  dockets  crowded  with  personal 
injury  cases  against  the  city,  the  damage  claims  aggre- 


gating $36,000,000.  In  two  years  he  practically  cleared 
the  dockets  and  the  first  year  reduced  the  average  judg- 
ment against  the  city  from  $1,000  under  his  predecessor 
to  $426.  The  next  year  he  reduced  the  average  to  $273. 
In  the  spring  of  1905,  Mr.  Smulski  was  renominated 
for  city  attorney  and  again  was  the  only  Republican 
candidate  elected.  While  the  Republican  candidate  for 
mayor  was  defeated  by  24,000  votes,  Mr.  Smulski  was 
elected  by  a  plurality  of  over  19,000  votes.  In  all  his 
candidacies  Mr.  Smulski  has  never  sought  the  office. 
In  each  race  it  has  been  a  case  of  the  office  seeking  the 
man. 

Hugo  Pam,  member  of  the  law  firm  of  Pam  &  Hurd. 
was  born  in  Chicago,  January  20,  1870.  He  received 
his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Chicago,  and  grad- 
uated from  the  West  Division  High  School  in  1889. 
He  entered  the  literary  department  of  the  University  of 
Michigan,  and  graduated  with  the  degree  of  Ph.  B.  in 
1892.  In  the  fall  of  1892  Mr.  Pam  entered  the  law 
offices  of  Moses,  Pam  &  Kennedy,  and  was  admitted  to 
the  bar  in  January,  1894. 

In  February,  1897,  Mr.  Pam  withdrew  from  the  firm 
of  Moses,  Pam  &  Kennedy  and  opened  his  own  office 


HUGO    PAM. 

in  the  New  York  Life  building.  By  this  time  his  repu- 
tation was  such  that  his  services  were  in  wide  demand, 
and  in  1898  he  became  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Pam, 
Donnelly  &  Glennon  and  continued  as  a  member  of  the 
firm  of  Pam,  Calhoun  &  Glennon,  after  Judge  Donnelly 
had  been  elevated  to  the  circuit  bench.  Mr.  Pam  now 
is  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Pam  &  Hurd,  the  two  other 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


261 


members  of  the  firm  being  his  distinguished  brother, 
Mr.  Max  Pam,  and  Mr.  Harry  B.  Kurd. 

Mr.  Pam  is  a  strenuous  worker,  and  the  knottier 
the  problem  at  hand  the  more  enjoyment  does  lie  take 
in  its  solution.  As  an  advocate,  his  command  of  the 
details  of  a  case  when  addressing  court  and  jury,  and  his 
accurate  knowledge  of  the  law,  have  won  him  a  high 
position  at  the  bar.  In  addition  to  a  large  general  prac- 
tice, his  firm  numbers  among  its  clients  many  of  the 
large  corporations  in  the  country. 

In  conclusion,  it  may  be  said  that  Mr.  Pam  is  a 
thorough  American  in  his  ideals  and  sentiments.  He  is 
a  Republican  in  his  political  affiliations,  but  he  is  not  a 
politician,  since  to  him  the  study  and  practice  of  his  pro- 
fession is  everything.  He  holds  membership  in  many 
social  and  professional  clubs,  but  he  is  not  a  club  man 
for  the  same  reason  that  he  is  not  a  politician. 

M.  W.  Borders,  one  of  the  leading  members  of  the 
Chicago  Bar  Association,  is  general  counsel  for  Nelson 
Morris  &  Company,  meat  packers.  His  rise  in  the  law 
has  been  steady.  He  was  born  on  a  farm  in  Randolph 
County,  Illinois,  May  9,  1867,  the  son  of  James  J.  and 
Mary  A.  Borders.  He  was  graduated  from  Monmouth 
College  in  1888  and  began  his  study  of  law  in  the  office 


M.    W.    BORDERS. 

of  Keorner  &  Horher  in  Belleville,   Illinois,   and  was 
admitted  to  practice  before  the  courts  of  the  state  in 

1890.  For  the  term    of     1890-91     he    attended    the 
Columbia  Law  School,  New  York  City,  and  on  July  15, 

1891,  he   formed   a      law   partnership   with   James   M. 
Hamill  for  the  practice  of  his  profession  in  Belleville. 
This  partnership  continued  for  ten  years. 


Mr.  Borders  was  city  attorney  of  Belleville  for  two 
terms,  was  master  in  chancery  of  St.  Clair  County  two 
years  and  occupied  an  enviable  position  in  his  general 
practice.  In  April,  1903.  he  moved  to  Chicago  to 
become  the  general  counsel  for  Nelson  Morris  & 
Company. 

Mr.  Borders  was  married  in  February,  1892,  to  Miss 
Alice  Emma  Abbey  of  Kirkwood.  Illinois.  He  has  four 
sons,  James,  Melville,  Edward  and  Horatio,  aged 
twelve,  eight,  ten  and  six  years,  respectively. 

He  is  one  of  the  prominent  club  men  of  the  city, 
being  a  member  of  the  Elks,  the  Chicago  Athletic,  the 
New  Illinois  Athletic,  the  Mid-day,  the  Iroquois  and 
the  Colonial  clubs. 


JAMES   J.   GRAY. 

James  J.  Gray,  master  in  chancery  and  formerly  pres- 
ident of  the  board  of  Cook  County  assessors,  is  a  native 
of  Chicago.  Since  his  birth,  November  23,  1862,  he 
has  lived  in  the  Twenty-first  ward,  on  the  North  Side. 
After  obtaining  an  education  in  the  Chicago  public 
schools  and  a  business  college,  he  secured  a  posi- 
tion with  the  printing  firm  of  J.  M.  W.  Jones  & 
Co.,  remaining  in  their  employ  until  1893,  when 
he  became  deputy  probate  clerk,  '  studying  law  in 
the  meantime.  In  1895  he  became  one  of  the 
deputies,  being  assigned  to  Judge  Tuley's  court  as 
minute  clerk  and  record  writer. 

He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1896,  and  a  year  later, 
resigning  his  deputyship  and  associating  himself  with 
M.  J.  Moran,  he  established  the  law  firm  of  Gray  & 
Moran,  with  offices  in  the  Ashland  block. 

In  1897  Mr.  Gray  was  elected  assessor  of  the  north 


THE    CITY    OP    CHICAGO. 


town  in  a  rattling  campaign,  in  which  he  ran  4,000  votes 
ahead  of  the  Democratic  ticket.  In  his  own  ward  he 
received  900  more  votes  than  Carter  H.  Harrison,  the 
mayoralty  candidate.  He  was  re-elected  in  1898,  and 
the  following  spring  he  was  made  a  member  of  the  Cook 
County  board  of  assessors,  serving  with  that  body  for 
six  years.  He  was  president  of  the  board  during  1903 
and  1904.  He  was  re-nominated  in  the  fall,  but  was 
defeated  in  the  Roosevelt  landslide,  in  which,  however, 
he  ran  40,000  ahead  of  Judge  Parker  in  Cook  County. 
He  was  appointed  master  in  chancery  by  the  circuit 
bench. 

Mr.  Gray  is  a  member  of  the  Chicago  Athletic,  the 
Iroquois  and  the  Germania  Clubs  and  a  number  of  fra- 
ternal societies. 

Charles  McGavin,  member  of  the  National  House  of 
Representatives  for  the  Eighth  Illinois  district,  is  one  of 
the  youngest  men  in  Congress.  His  rise  in  politics  has 


CHARLES    McGAVIN. 

been  rapid.  \Yhen  twenty  years  of  age  he  lost  his  left 
arm  in  a  railroad  accident,  which  decided  him  to  abandon 
a  business  career  and  study  law.  He  has  met  with  sig- 
nal success. 

Representative  McGavin  was  born  at  Riverton,  San- 
gamon  County,  Illinois,  June  10,  1874,  being  the  young- 
est of  a  family  of  ten  children.  He  attended  public 
school  at  Springfield  until  eleven  years  of  age,  when  he 
went  to  make  his  home  with  a  married  sister  at  Mount 
Olive,  Illinois,  his  mother  having  died  when  he  was  but 
six  years  old.  At  Mount  Olive  he  attended  the  gram- 
mar and  high  schools  and  there  made  the  acquaintance 


of  Representative  William  A.  Rodenberg  of  East  St. 
Louis,  who  at  that  time  was  principal  of  the  Mount 
Olive  High  School.  At  the  age  of  fifteen  he  entered  the 
office  of  the  Smithboro  Coal  Company  at  Smith1>oro, 
Bond  County,  Illinois,  as  a  clerk,  his  brother-in-law  be- 
ing interested  in  the  firm.  His  sister's  family,  with 
whomi  he  was  living,  removed  to  Springfield  in  1890 
and  he  went  with  them.  For  a  short  time  he  was  em- 
ployed with  the  Sangamon  Coal  Company  and  after- 
ward became  connected  with  the  agency  of  the  Dupont 
Powder  Company.  The  railroad  accident  in  which  he 
lost  his  arm  occurred  in  1894,  and  as  soon  as  he  had  re- 
covered he  decided  to  take  up  the  study  of  law,  and  en- 
tered the  office  of  Orendorff  &  Patton  as  a  clerk.  Three 
years  of  close  application  to  law  followed,  and  in  1897 
he  was  admitted  to  the  bar.  Seeking  a  wider  field,  he 
came  to  Chicago  in  1899,  where  he  has  been  a  practic- 
ing attorney  ever  since.  Mr.  McGavin  always  took  an 
active  interest  in  politics,  but  it  was  not  until  1903  that 
he  began  to  take  a  lead  in  the  Republican  ranks  of  the 
Eighteenth  ward.  In  this  year  he  was  nominated  for 
alderman,  but,  the  Eighteenth  ward  being  strongly 
Democratic,  he  was  defeated.  The  energetic  campaign 
he  conducted  at  the  time  attracted  much  attention,  and 
in  recognition  of  his  ability  he  was  appointed  assistant 
city  attorney  under  John  F.  Smulski.  In  the  fall  of  1904 
he  was  nominated  for  Congress  in  the  Eighth  district, 
which  is  nominally  a  Democratic  stronghold.  Under 
normal  conditions  it  has  been  carried  by  the  Democrats 
by  about  8,000  majority.  Mr.  McGavin  made  the  most 
energetic  campaign,  and  not  only  overcame  the  Demo- 
cratic majority  but  polled  7,000  additional  votes.  Mr. 
McGavin  is  not  married.  He  has  offices  in  the  Unity 
building,  Chicago.  He  took  his  seat  in  Congress  at  the 
regular  session,  December,  1905. 

Dr.  Edwin  Hartley  Pratt,   A.  M.,  M.  D.,  LL.  D., 

illustrates  by  his  life  and  achievements  what  may  be 
won  by  persistent  and  painstaking  effort.  Not  only 
is  he  one  of  the  leaders  in  his  chosen  profession,  but 
also  a  diligent  student  of  all  that  is  best  in  literature 
and  the  broader  affairs  of  the  world. 

Dr.  Pratt  was  born  in  Towanda,  Pennsylvania, 
November  6,  1849.  He  comes  of  a  family  whose  names 
are  well  known  in  the  annals  of  medicine  and  surgery. 
His  father  was  the  celebrated  Dr.  Leonard  Pratt.  His 
mother,  before  her  marriage,  was  Miss  Betsey  Belding, 
and  of  English  descent. 

In  recognition  of  his  merit,  and  the  great  part  he  has 
taken  in  advancing  the  science  of  medicine  and  surgery, 
Dr.  Pratt  has  had  many  honors  conferred  upon  him. 
The  University  of  Chicago  honored  him  with  the  degree 
of  Doctor  of  Laws  in  1886.  He  received  his  master's 
degree  from  the  same  institution  in  1874.  One  year 


TIH-.    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


263 


previously  be  earned  his  doctor's  degree  at  Hahnemann 
Medical  College  of  Chicago. 

He  is  an  honorary  member  of  the  Ohio  Medical 
Society,  the  Missouri  Medical  Society,  the  Kentucky 
Medical  Society  and  the  Southern  Association  of  Phy- 
sicians. He  is  an  active  member  of  the  Illinois  State 
Medical  Association,  the  Chicago  Academy  of  Med- 


DR.   EDWIN    HARTLEY   PRATT. 

icine,  the  American  Institute  of  Homeopathy,  and 
numerous  less  prominent  medical  organizations. 

The  science  of  orificial  surgery  is  a  triumph  of  Dr. 
Pratt's  scholarly  and  untiring  efforts.  He  is  the  pioneer 
in  this  branch  of  medical  thought  and  is  the  author  of 
a  handsomely  illustrated  volume  on  the  subject  which 
has  run  into  its  fourth  edition. 

Lincoln  Park  Sanitarium  was  built  for  Dr.  Pratt's 
use,  and  was  a  mecca  for  a  steadily  increasing  throng  of 
physicians  seeking  to  master  the  principles  of  orificial 
surgery.  The  patronage  of  the  institution  was  large  and 
consisted  of  only  the  more  advanced  and  best  members 
of  the  profession. 

Dr.  Pratt  was  married  to  Miss  Charlotte  Kelley, 
February  26,  1900.  Aside  from  his  large  and  lucrative 
practice,  Dr.  Pratt  finds  time  to  devote  many  spare 
hours  to  the  literature  of  the  day.  His  library  is  one  of 
the  finest  private  collections  of  books  in  Chicago. 

In  physique.  Dr.  Pratt  is  of  a  commanding  stature — 
six  feet  in  height,  weighing  250  pounds  and  finely  pro- 
portioned. His  mentality  shows  the  cheerfulness  and 
hopefulness  of  his  celebrated  father,  and  the  energy, 
courage  and  perseverance  of  his  mother. 


Alexander  Hugh  Ferguson,  M.  D.,  C.  M.,  professor 
of  surgery  in  the  Chicago  Post-Graduate  Medical  School 
and  Hospital,  was  born  in  Ontario  County,  Canada, 
February  27,  1853,  the  son  of  Alexander  and  Ann 
(McFadyen)  Ferguson,  both  natives  of  Scotland.  He 
received  his  education  in  the  common  schools,  Rock- 
wood  Academy,  Manitoba  College,  Toronto  University 
and  Trinity  Medical  School,  from  which  latter  institu- 
tion he  was  graduated  in  1881.  He  received  post-grad- 
uate training  in  New  York,  Glasgow,  London  and 
Berlin,  where  he  took  a  thorough  course  in  bacteriology 
under  the  celebrated  Professor  Koch. 

Dr.  Ferguson  began  the  practice  of  his  profession  in 
Buffalo,  New  York,  but  in  1882  he  went  to  Canada  and 
settled  in  Winnipeg,  where,  in  the  same  year,  he  was 
appointed  registrar  of  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Sur- 
geons of  Manitoba,  and  in  the  following  year  he  took 
a  most  active  part  in  founding  the  Manitoba  Medical 
College,  which  has  had  a  phenomenal  success,  and  now 
enjoys  the  name  of  being  one  of  the  high-grade  medical 
schools  of  Canada.  He  was  professor  of  physiology  and 
histology  in  this  institution  for  three  years,  and  in  1886 
he  took  the  professorship  of  surgery  upon  the  resigna- 


ALEXANDER    HUGH    FERGUSON. 

tion  of  Dr.  James  Kerr,  who  now  holds  a  similar  chair 
in  Columbia  University,  Washington,  D.  C.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  staff  of  the  Winnipeg  General  Hospital, 
surgeon-in-chief  to  the  St.  Boniface  Hospital,  and  also 
the  chief  operator  at  Brandon  and  Morclon  hospitals 
in  the  same  province.  He  was  the  first  president  of  the 
Manitoba  branch  of  the  British  Medical  Association, 
and  he  was  also  appointed  by  the  Governor  as  a  member 


TIUl    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


of  the  Provincial  Board  of  Health.  His  connection 
with  the  Manitoba  Medical  College  covered  a  period  of 
eleven  years,  and  he  was  identified  with  it,  not  alone 
as  registrar,  but  also  as  treasurer  and  a  member  of  the 
University  Council.  He  enjoyed  the  respect  and  con- 
fidence of  the  profession  and  people,  as  well  as  the  loyal 
devotion  and  veneration  of  his  students,  and  when  he 
severed  his  connection  with  the  Hospital  of  the  Sisters 
of  Charity  before  leaving  Canada  to  locate  in  Chicago, 
his  resignation  \vas  not  accepted,  in  the  hope  that  some 
day  he  might  return. 

On  December  18,  1893,  Dr.  Ferguson  was  offered 
the  chair  of  surgery  in  the  Chicago  Post-Graduate  Med- 
ical School  and  Hospital,  and  assumed  his  duties  in 
June,  1894.  Since  locating  here  his  services  have  been 
in  great  demand,  and  he  now  holds  the  position  of  sur- 
geon to  the  Post-Graduate  Hospital,  surgeon-in- 
chief  to  the  Chicago  Hospital,  also  surgeon  to  the  Cook 
County  Hospital  for  the  Insane,  and  consultant  to  the 
Provident  Hospital. 

It  has  been  as  a  teacher  of  surgery  and  as  an  opera- 
tor that  Dr.  Ferguson  has  gained  his  wide  reputation. 
There  is  hardly  a  major  operation  on  the  body  that  he 
has  not  performed.  His  work  on  Hydatids  of  the  Liver 
has  been  the  most  extensive  of  any  man  in  America, 
and  was  instrumental  in  first  bringing  him  into  notice. 
He  has  successfully  performed  partial  hepatectomy, 
splenectomy,  nephrectomies,  craniectomies,  thyroidec- 
tomies,  hip-joint  amputations,  excisions,  thoracoplasty, 
(Schede)  cholecyst  duodenostomies,  appendicectomies, 
etc.,  all  of  which  would  be  too  numerous  to  mention. 
Suffice  it  to  say  that  Dr.  Ferguson  has  opened  the  abdo- 
men over  a  thousand  times.  He  was  the  first  to  use 
Murphy's  button  to  unite  the  duodenum  to  the  stomach 
after  removing  a  cancerous  pylorus,  and  he  was  also  the 
first  to  make  an  anastomosis  with  Murphy's  button  after 
excision  of  a  cancerous  cecum,  in  both  of  which  cases 
he  was  successful. 

The  doctor  has  been  an  extensive  contributor  to  the 
medical  press.  It  is  only  possible  to  mention  a  few  of 
his  more  important  papers,  among  which  are :  Hyda- 
tids of  the  Liver,  Operative  Treatment  of  Diseases 
of  the  Gall  Bladder,  Pylorectomy  in  America,  Tho- 
racoplasty in  America  and  Visceral  Pleurectomy,  with 
Report  of  a  Case,  Typic  and  Atypic  Operations  for 
the  Radical  Cure  of  Hernia. 

Dr.  Ferguson  is  recognized  as  one  of  the  best  sur- 
geons in  Chicago,  and  all  his  time  is  devoted  to  the 
teaching  and  practice  of  surgery.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  British  Medical  Association,  International  Medi- 
cal Congress,  American  Medical  Association,  Chicago 
Medical  Society,  Chicago  Gynecological  Society,  the 
Physicians'  Club  of  Chicago,  Chicago  Surgical  Society, 
Military  Tract  Medical  Association,  Wayne  County 
Medical  Society,  and  also  a  fellow  of  the  Chicago 


Academy  of  Medicine  and  of  the  American  Association 
of  Obstetricians  and  Gynecologists. 

In  religion  he  is  a  Presbyterian.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Scottish  Rite,  thirty-second  degree,  A.  F.  and 
A.  M.,  and  other  societies.  He  was  married  in  1882  to 
Miss  Thomas,  daughter  of  the  late  Edward  Thomas, 
Esq.,  a  wealthy  pioneer  of  Nassagaweya,  near  Guelph, 
Ontario,  Canada.  His  family  consists  of  two  sons,  Ivin 
Havelock  and  Alexander  Donald. 

Dr.  Trances  Dickinson.  The  day  was  chill — frost 
was  in  the  air.  Company  shivered  in  the  old-fashioned 
parlor  of  Mrs.  Thomas  Church,  and  marveled  at  the 
coatless,  hatless  little  girl  on  the  street.  "Pity?  Please 
don't!"  said  Mrs.  Church.  "That  little  girl  with  the 
bright  eyes  and  long  brown  braids  never  wears  hat  nor 
coat.  She  is  the  daughter  of  my  neighbor,  and  'neath 
the  front  steps  you  will  find  she  has  hidden  her  wraps, 
rolled  in  a  bundle." 

She  was  on  her  way  to  school,  the  old  Dearborn 
school,  opposite  McVicker's  theater,  where  they  used  to 
receive  children  at  the  age  of  five.  At  recess  she  was 
most  popular  and  in  great  demand  by  the  boys;  both 
sides  wanted  her.  She  never 'could  "bat,"  but  she  was 
the  very  best  shortstop  catch. 

Again  we  see  her  in  front  of  her  home  (where  Car- 
son, Pirie,  Scott  &  Company  is  now  located)  on  Wabash 
near  Madison  street,  a  happy,  light-hearted,  wholesome 
girl,  walking  the  new  curbstone,  one  of  the  first  the 
city  put  down,  and  as  she  romped  and  played  we  noticed 
the  old-fashioned  garden,  with  its  flowers  and  its  cab- 
bages, and  saw  her  sisters,  Hannah  and  Melissa,  and 
her  brothers,  Albert.  Charles  and  Nathan,  come  and 
go.  The  little  girl  was  Frances  Dickinson. 

To-day  Dr.  Frances  Dickinson  is  one  of  the  most 
intelligent,  industrious  and  successful  women  in  the 
city  of  Chicago.  She  was  born  in  Chicago,  January  19, 
1856;  graduated  at  the  Central  High  School  in  1875. 
The  next  four  years  were  spent  as  a  teacher  in  our  pub- 
lic schools,  but,  finding  the  scope  limited,  and  having 
decided  to  enter  the  medical  profession,  she  abandoned 
her  first  work  for  the  broader  field.  Accordingly,  in 
1880  Frances  Dickinson  matriculated  at  the  Woman's 
Medical  College  in  Chicago,  where  she  took  the  full 
course  and  proved  an  earnest  student,  graduating  in 
1883. 

She  served  as  interne  in  the  Women's  and  Children's 
Hospital,  under  Dr.  Mary  Harris  Thompson.  Having 
meanwhile  resolved  to  make  a  specialty  of  ophthalmol- 
ogy, she  took  the  course  in  that  branch  at  the  Illinois 
State  Eye  and  Ear  Infirmary,  Chicago.  In  1883  in  Lon- 
don Dr.  Dickinson  studied  under  the  celebrated  sur- 
geon, Dr.  Cooper,  in  the  Royal  Ophthalmic  Hospital 
at  Moorfields,  and  also  attended  the  ophthalmic  clinics 
at  the  Royal  Free  Hospital  in  Gray's  Inn  Road. 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


265 


In  Germany,  at  Darmstadt,  she  was  for  five  months 
under  the  private  tutorship  of  Dr.  Adolph  Weber,  who 
had  a  large  private  clinic  and  hospital  of  sixty  beds 
attached  to  his  home.  This  was  the  Dr.  Weber  to 
whom  Yon  Graefe,  the  "father  of  ophthalmology,'' 
willed  his  instruments,  and  under  so  devoted  a  teacher 


a  daughter  and  two  sons,  both  of  whom  became  dis- 
tinguished as  physicians,  and  John,  the  elder,  founded 
the  American  branch  of  the  family.  He  was  born  in 
Hempstead,  England,  and  sailed  for  America  in  the 
ship  Hercules,  April  16,  1634. 

Dr.    Dickinson's    brothers    developed    The    Albert 


she  could  hardly  have  failed  to  receive  lasting  benefit      Dickinson  Company  of  this  city,  which  is  the  leading 
and  inspiration.  firm  dealing  in  grass  seeds  the  world  over.    This  unique 

Dr.  Dickinson  is  the  leading  woman  practitioner  in      and  extensive  business  further  exemplifies  the  organiz- 
her  specialty  in  this  country.     At  one  time  she  enjoyed      ing  ability  of  the  doctor's  family, 
the  distinction  of  being  the  only  woman  engaged  as 
post-graduate  instructor  in  ophthalmology,  filling  that 
chair  in  the  Chicago  Post-Graduate  School  of  Medicine. 


Dr.  Dickinson  was  the  first  woman  to  hold  a  large 
down-town  meeting  for  women,  bringing  the  women 
together  to  hear  Mrs.  Chant  at  Central  Music  Hall  in 


She  is  president  of  Harvey  Medical  College,  where  she      1889.     She  was  also  a  party  to  the  forming  of  the  first 
fills  the  chair  of  ophthalmology. 

Dr.  Dickinson  is  an  active  and  honored  member  of 
the  City  and  State  Medical  societies  and  of  the  American 
Medical  Association,  of  the  Chicago  Ophthalmological 
Society,  the  American  Academy  of  Political  and  Social 
Science  and  the  Chicago  Academy  of  Sciences.  She 
was  the  first  woman  received  into  the  International 
Medical  Congress,  in  which  she  was  admitted  to  mem- 
bership at  its  ninth  convention,  held  in  1887  at  Wash- 
ington, D.  C.  Since  that  year  women  have  not  been 
denied  membership,  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  congresses 
have  been  held  in  foreign  cities,  where  women  are  not 
allowed  equal  privileges  with  men  at  the  universities. 

Many  of  Dr.  Dickinson's  maternal  ancestors  were 
physicians,  and  in  the  paternal  line  are  found  a  number 
of  schoolmasters ;  and  in  both  lines  we  find  them  fre- 
quently being  honored  with  and  honoring  public  office. 
Her  father,  a  man  of  broad  character  and  wide  sym- 
pathies, was  a  prominent  business  man  in  Chicago  for 
many  years.  His  wife,  Ann  Eliza  Anthony,  like  him- 
self, was  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  a  woman  of  strong 
personality  and  the  organizer  of  the  First  Society  of 
Friends  in  this  city,  and  an  aunt  of  the  famous  woman 
suffragist,  Susan  B.  Anthony. 

The  first  of  the  Anthony  family  of  whom  there  is  any     Union  of  Physicians,  regardless  of  the  pathies.     They 


DR.    FRANCES    DICKINSON. 


mention  is  William  Anthony,  born  in  Cologne,  Germany, 
who  came  to  England  during  the  reign  of  Edward  VI, 
and  was  made  chief  graver  of  the  royal  mint  and  master 
of  the  scales,  continuing  to  hold  office  through  the 
reigns  of  that  monarch  and  Mary  and  part  of  the  reign 
of  Elizabeth.  His  crest  and  coat  of  arms  are  entered 
in  the  royal  enumeration.  His  son  Derrick  was  the 
father  of  Dr.  Francis  Anthony,  born  in  London  in  1550. 
He  graduated  at  Cambridge  with  the  degree  of  Master 
of  Arts,  and  became  famous  as  a  physician  and  chemist, 
but  was  intolerant  of  restraint  and  in  continual  con- 
flict with  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons.  He 
died  in  his  seventy-fourth  year,  and  was  buried  in  the 
church  of  St.  Bartholomew  the  Great,  where  his  hand- 


are  now  united  on  sanitation. 

During  the  World's  Fair,  Dr.  Dickinson  was  a 
member  of  the  Board  of  Lady  Managers,  and  in  con- 
nection with  Dr.  Waite  formed  the  first  medical  union 
composed  of  women  of  the  various  schools  of  medicine 
— the  Illinois  Medical  Women's  Sanitary  Association — 
which  immediately  sent  Dr.  Kate  Bushnell,  Dr.  Alice 
Ewing  and,  later.  Dr.  Rachel  Hickey,  to  the  scene  of 
the  Johnstown  disaster.  They  were  the  first  on  the 
ground  to  commence  the  relief  work,  and  remained 
seven  weeks  in  the  prosecution  of  their  noble  purpose. 

Dr.  Dickinson  is  one  of  the  most  progressive  women 
of  the  day,  one  of  the  best  known  club  women  of  Amer- 
ica, as  well  as  one  of  the  leading  oculists  of  this  country, 


some  monument  is  still  to  be  seen.     Dr.  Anthony  left     a  woman  who  commands  respect  and  holds  attention. 


L'66 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


Samuel  W.  Allerton  has  all  the  characteristics  of  the 
New  York  Yankee.  He  is  quick  to  conceive  an  idea, 
cautious  in  determination  of  its  value,  resolute  in  its 
accomplishment  when  once  he  has  decided  upon  a  course 
of  action,  and  it  must  also  be  said  that  he  is  public- 
spirited  as  well  as  mindful  of  his  personal  welfare.  Born 
in  Duchess  County,  New  York,  in  1829,  of  farmer  par- 
ents, and  with  only  such  advantages  of  education  as 
could  be  gained  from  the  somewhat  inefficient  public 
schools  of  the  first  half  of  the  century,  Mr.  Allerton  has 
attained  commercial,  social  and  political  distinction. 
He  is  a  director  of  the  First  National  Bank  and  of  the 
Chicago  City  Railway  Company  and  has  large  interests 
in  the  principal  stockyards  of  the  United  States.  Mr. 


SAMUEL   W.    ALLERTON. 

Allerton  has  not  achieved  wealth  by  any  gigantic  specu- 
lation ;  he  has  built  his  fortune  on  the  sure  and  honorable 
foundation  of  industry,  economy,  sound  judgment  and 
resolute  action. 

He  worked  on  a  farm  until  he  was  eighteen  years  of 
age;  then  he  began  stock  raising  on  his  own  account. 
By  the  time  he  was  twenty-one  he  had  accumulated 
nearly  $5,000.  That  was  nearly  sixty  years  ago,  and 
sixty  years  ago  $5,000  had  a  larger  operative  power 
than  it  now  has.  With  this  capital  Mr.  Allerton  pur- 
chased a  stock  farm  in  Piatt  County,  Illinois.  Yet  even 
then  Chicago  had  its  fascinations  for  Mr.  Allerton.  He 
was  a  frequent  visitor  to  the  future  metropolis,  but 
always  with  intent  to  sell  or  buy.  He  soon  became 
famous  as  a  successful  breeder  and  raiser  of  stock.  His 
farms  increased  in  number  and  his  flocks  and  herds  in 
value  and  magnitude.  He  also  was  a  shrewd  purchaser 


of  real  estate  in  what  was  to  be  the  great  city  of  the 
West.  He  was  among  the  first  to  discern  the  needs 
and  uses  and  profits  of  stockyards  as  centers  of  the 
cattle  trade  and  was  among  the  earliest  and  most  active 
promoters  of  the  system.  And  thus,  by  the  exercise  of 
strict  industry,  strict  integrity  and  sound  judgment,  Mr. 
Allerton  has  achieved  rank  among  the  millionaires  of 
the  country. 

But  it  is  not  alone  as  a  financier  that  Mr.  Allerton 
is  known  and  respected.  His  political  acumen  is  as 
remarkable  as  his  commercial  capacity.  Few  moves 
are  made  on  the  Republican  checker  board  of  Illinois 
without  the  knowledge  of  Mr.  Allerton.  He  never  has 
sought  office,  but  in  1893  the  Republican  nomination 
for  mayor  literally  was  thrust  upon  him.  He  made  a 
gallant  fight,  but  it  was  an  "off  year"  for  Republicans, 
and  that  past  master  of  political  tactics,  the  late  Carter 
H.  Harrison,  defeated  him.  In  the  same  year  Mr.  Aller- 
ton rendered  great  service  to  the  public  as  a  member 
of  the  World's  Fair  directory.  Mr.  Allerton  has  been 
twice  married.  He  has  two  children,  Robert  H.  and 
Katie  R. 

Frankin  Harvey  Head,  a  gentleman  who  has  dem- 
onstrated the  compatibility  of  literary  instinct  and  cul- 
ture with  business  acumen,  was  born  January  24,  1835, 
at  Paris,  Oneida  County,  New  York.  His  father,  Harvey 
Head,  and  his  mother,  who  prior  to  her  marriage  was 
Miss  Calista  Simons,  came  of  families  long  resident  in 
the  vicinity  of  Paris.  Mr.  F.  H.  Head  received  a  sound 
preparatory  education  at  the  Academy  in  Cazenovia, 
New  York,  and  afterward  enrolled  as  a  student  in  Ham- 
ilton College,  and  was  graduated  as  B.  A.  in  1856,  and 
received  the  degree  of  M.  A.  three  years  later.  He  was 
also  graduated  from  the  law  school  of  his  alma  mater  in 
1858,  and  subsequently  was  honored  by  it  with  the 
degree  of  LL.  D. 

In  1858  Mr.  Head  settled  in  the  West,  and  in  con- 
junction with  his  uncle,  Mr.  O.  S.  Head,  founded  the 
law  firm  of  O.  S.  &  F.  H.  Head,  at  Kenosha,  Wis- 
consin. The  firm  continued  in  existence  and  enjoyed  a 
lucrative  practice  for  about  nine  years,  when  Mr.  F.  H. 
Head  was  compelled  by  failing  health  to  retire  from  so 
sedentary  a  business.  After  spending  a  time  in  Europe 
he  went  to  Utah  and  to  California,  in  which  states  he 
acquired  proprietary  interests  in  a  cattle  ranch  and  in 
a  mine.  Supervision  of  their  business  occupied  his  atten- 
tion, and  was  productive  of  profits  for  three  or  four 
years,  when,  his  health  being  restored,  he  returned  to 
what  in  those  days  were  called  "The  States"  by  settlers 
in  the  Far  West,  and  entered  into  partnership  with 
Messrs.  Wirt  Dexter  and  N.  K.  Fairbank  in  the 
manufacture  of  lumber  and  charcoal  iron  at  Elk  Rapids, 
Michigan.  While  exercising  a  general  supervision  over 
these  large  industries,  Mr.  Head  made  his  home  in 
Evanston,  Illinois,  for  several  years.  In  the  meantime 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


207 


lie  acquired  interests  in  banking  and  manufacturing 
enterprises  in  Chicago,  of  which  city  he  became  a  per- 
manent resident  about  ten  years  ago.  Mr.  Head  served 
for  several  years  as  president  of  the  Chicago  Malleable 
Iron  Company,  and  as  director  of  the  American  Trust 
and  Savings  Bank,  and  of  the  Northwestern  National 


FRANKLIN    HARVEY    HEAD. 

Bank,  in  all  of  which  institutions  he  retains  a  considera- 
ble interest. 

In  addition  to  the  successful  management  of  numer- 
ous business  enterprises,  Mr.  Head  has  found  time  to 
contribute  many  interesting  articles  on  financial  and 
commercial  questions  to  The  Forum,  the  New  England 
Magazine,  Current  Topics  and  to  other  high-class  peri- 
odicals. Though  actively  Republican  in  politics,  Mr. 
Head  never  has  aspired  to  office.  He  was,  however, 
intrusted  by  the  national  administration  with  the  super- 
intendency  of  Indian  affairs  while  resident  in  Utah.  He 
has  twice  been  president  of  the  Union  League  Club,  and 
is  a  member  of  the  Commercial,  Chicago,  University, 
Literary  and  Quadrangle  clubs.  Mr.  Head  was  married 
in  1860  to  Miss  Catherine  Putnam  Durkee  of  Kenosha, 
Wisconsin.  There  are  three  daughters.  He  has  an  ele- 
gant home  at  No.  2.  Banks  street. 

Jacob  L.  Loose,  the  organizer  and  first  president 
of  the  American  Biscuit  &  Manufacturing  Company 
and  a  prominent  figure  in  the  western  cracker  and  con- 
fectionery trade,  was  born  in  Pennsylvania,  June  17, 
1850.  At  the  age  of  ten  he  removed  to  Illinois  with 
his  parents,  who  settled  in  Springfield,  but  the  boy 
was  sent  back  to  his  native  state  to  complete  his  educa- 
tion. His  first  business  experience  was  as  a  clerk  in  a 


dry  goods  store  in  Decatur,  Illinois.  In  1870,  together 
with  his  elder  brother,  he  established  a  store  in  southern 
Kansas,  on  what  was  then  the  frontier.  There  he 
remained  until  1882,  when  he  went  to  Kansas  City  and 
engaged  in  the  biscuit  and  confectionery  business. 

Before  long  he  conceived  the  idea  of  consolidating 
the  western  trade  for  mutual  protection  and  advance- 
ment and  in  competition  with  the  New  York  Biscuit 
Company  of  the  Atlantic  coast.  The  result  was  the 
inception  of  the  American  Biscuit  &  Manufacturing 
Company,  with  himself  as  its  president.  He  held  this 
position  for  seven  years,  until  ill  health  compelled  him 
to  abandon  business  duties  for  some  time.  The  forma- 
tion of  the  American  company  was  unique,  inasmuch  as 
there  was  no  common  stock  or  outside  capital  used,  no 
promoter's  fees  paid  or  any  "rake-offs"  allowed.  It  was 
singularly  free  from  the  stock  jobbery  that  usually 
accompanies  such  operations. 

Mr.  Loose  traveled  extensively  in  Europe  and  the 
Orient  until  he  regained  his  health.  Since  then  he 
has  resumed  his  interest  in  the  baking  and  confection 
trade,  being  one  of  the  ruling  spirits  of  the  Loose-Wiles 


JACOB    L.    LOOSE. 

Cracker  &  Candy  Company  of  Kansas  City,  which 
plant  employs  from  a  thousand  to  twelve  hundred  hands. 
Mr.  Loose  is  also  largely  interested  in  bakeries  at 
Minneapolis,  St.  Louis  and  Dallas,  Texas. 

Daniel  Francis  Crilly,  one  of  Chicago's  representa- 
tive real  estate  men.  and  the  man  who  is  generally 
spoken  of  as  "the  father  of  McKinley  Park,"  was  born 
at  Mercersburg,  Franklin  County,  Pennsylvania,  Octo- 
ber 14,  1838.  Mr.  Crilly's  parental  grandfather  was  a 


268 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


native  of  Ireland  where  the  Crilly  family  is  an  old  one. 
A  descendant  of  the  Crillys  is  now  a  member  of  the 
British  parliament.  Mr.  Crilly's  father  was  John  D. 
Crilly,  editor  of  the  Perry  County  Standard,  published 
at  Bloomfield,  Pennsylvania.  Mr.  Crilly  was  educated 
in  the  common  schools  of  Pennsylvania,  and  at  the 
age  of  seventeen  he  was  indentured  to  John  Wilson,  a 
contractor  and  mason.  On  the  latter's  removal  to  Iowa 
City,  Iowa,  Mr.  Crilly  accompanied  him  in  1856.  After 
serving  his  apprenticeship  young  Crilly  sought  an  open- 
ing for  his  talent  in  Louisiana.  He  erected  the  exten- 
sive buildings  on  the  plantation  of  the  Hon.  Richard 
Pugh,  which  were  considered  the  finest  of  their  kind 
in  those  days.  After  perilous  adventures  during  the 


DANIEL   FRANCIS    CRILLY. 

years  of  the  war  of  the  rebellion,  Mr.  Crilly  reached 
St.  Louis  and  later  Chicago.  Here  he  spent  his  first 
three  winters  as  superintendent  of  the  tank  department 
in  the  packing  plant  of  Robert  Law.  His  summers  he 
devoted  to  building.  He  erected  the  first  Methodist 
Church  block,  and  many  prominent  down-town  struc- 
tures, steadily  acquiring  extensive  real  estate  holdings. 
He  retired  from  the  contracting  business  in  1878, 
and  has  since  devoted  much  of  his  time  to  the  manage- 
ment of  his  own  property.  He  built  all  the  residences 
in  Crilly  place,  on  the  North  Side.  He  lost  heavily  in 
the  great  fire,  but  regained  it  all  and  more  by  his  energy, 
integrity  and  indomitable  perserverance.  The  "Crilly 
Divisions"  near  the  south  end  of  Lincoln  Park,  are  his 
property,  among  other  holdings,  which  comprise  141 
flats,  twelve  residences  and  ten  business  buildings.  He 
also  owns  the  old  Stock  Exchange  building. 


It  is  difficult  to  estimate  what  a  city  like  Chicago 
owes  to  such  men  as  Mr.  Crilly,  who  gave  it  the  be-t 
part  of  his  life.  His  name  stands  for  everything  thai 
represents  solidity  and  morality.  He  was  appointed 
South  Park  commissioner  by  the  Circuit  Court  in  1900 
to  fill  the  unexpired  term  of  Commissioner  Ellworth, 
who  took  up  his  residence  in  New  York.  At  the  end 
of  this  term  Mr.  Crilly  was  re-elected  for  a  five  years' 
term.  He  filled  the  office  of  president  of  the  commis- 
sion for  one  term.  It  was  on  Mr.  Crilly's  suggestion 
that  McKinley  Park  was  named  after  our  martyr  presi- 
dent, and  the  handsome  McKinley  monument  which 
he  unveiled  July  4,  1905,  is  said  to  be  to  a  large  share 
the  donation  of  Mr.  Crilly.  He  carried  on  the  work 
of  the  subscription  for  the  balance  of  the  required  sum 
for  the  purchase  of  the  monument. 

Mr.  Crilly  was  married  in  London,  Pennsylvania, 
March  3,  1863.  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Snyder.  He  is  the 
father  of  six  children,  Erminnie,  George  S.,  Frank  I,., 
Edgar,  Isabelle  and  Oliver  D.  Mr.  Crilly  has  been  a 
pew  holder  of  the  Plymouth  Congregational  Church 
since  it  was  built,  and  is  now  one  of  its  trustees. 

He  is  a  member  of  the  Hamilton  Club,  one  of  the 
first-year  members  of  the  Union  League  Club,  a  member 
of  the  Sheridan  Club  and  a  charter  member  of  Home 
Lodge,  No.  508,  Ancient  and  Accepted  Masons.  Mr. 
Crilly  has  for  years  been  treasurer  of  the  Apollo  Com- 
mandery  No.  I,  and  is  now  a  trustee.  He  is  also  promi- 
nently connected  with  other  lodges.  He  has  been  the 
treasurer  of  the  Knights  Templar  Charity  Ball  since  its 
organization,  with  the  exception  of  one  term.  Mr. 
Crilly  has  always  been  active  in  national  and  local  poli- 
tics and  he  was  a  member  of  the  famous  executive  com- 
mittee of  the  McKinley  Club,  which  was  organized  by 
the  leading  Republicans  of  Chicago. 

John  Sutphin  Jones.  In  the  ranks  of  the  sound  and 
substantial  business  men  of  this  land  of  opportunity  are 
many  illustrations  of  success  earned  by  sturdy  and 
honest  endeavor,  and  wealth  and  position  won  by  those 
who  started  without  any  advantages  beyond  the  com- 
mon, and  have  worked  their  own  way  to  the  top.  No 
better  example  of  self-earned  success  and  prominence 
in  the  business  world  can  be  cited  than  is  afforded  by 
the  career  of  Mr.  John  Sutphin  Jones,  now  one  of  the 
foremost  coal  operators  of  the  country. 

His  parents,  William  R.  and  Elizabeth  M.  Jones, 
were  of  Welsh  birth,  and  from  their  native  Montgom- 
eryshire, in  North  Wales,  came  to  the  United  States 
in  1831.  They  settled  on  a  farm  in  Fayette  County, 
near  Washington  Court  House,  Ohio,  and  it  was  there 
that  their  son  John  was  born  January  4,  1849.  He  was 
brought  up  on  the  farm  and  did  his  share  of  the  farm 
work  while  attending  the  neighboring  schools,  and 
when  he  had  absorbed  the  branches  of  knowledge  pro- 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


26<> 


vided  by  the  common  schools  of  the  locality,  he  became 
a  telegraph  operator  for  a  year. 

While  so  engaged  he  became  impressed  with  the 
opportunities  of  a  railroad  career,  and  determined  to 
fit  himself  for  that  service.  He  began  as  freight  brake- 
man  and  soon  advanced  to  a  conductor's  position,  first 


JOHN    SUTPHIN  JONES. 

on  a  freight  train  and  later  on  a  passenger  train.  From 
that  position  to  trainmaster  and  assistant  superintend- 
ent, and  then  by  another  step  to  superintendent,  he  ad- 
vanced by  faithful  and  efficient  service.  Leaving  Ohio 
he  became  division  superintendent  of  the  Milwaukee, 
Lake  Shore  &  Western  Railroad  in  Wisconsin,  holding 
that  position  until  1889,  when  he  resigned  it  to  become 
western  manager  of  the  Columbus  &  Hocking  Valley 
Coal  &  Iron  Company,  with  offices  at  Chicago.  He  gave 
efficient  management  to  the  large  interests  placed  in 
his  hands  by  that  company  and  supervised  the  erection 
of  several  coal  docks  and  after  a  while  retired  to  estab- 
lish the  business  of  the  Jones  &  Adams  Company,  oper- 
ating coal  docks  at  Ashland  and  West  Superior,  Wis- 
consin and  Duluth.  Minnesota,  with  offices  at  St.  Paul 
and  Minneapolis,  and  general  offices  in  Chicago.  The 
company  do  a  large  jobbing  business  in  coal,  own  and 
operate  coal  mines  in  the  Springfield  and  Danville 
regions,  and  also  in  the  Hocking  Valley  District  in 
Ohio.  A  chartering  office  for  the  shipment  of  the  com- 
pany's products  to  their  docks  on  Lake  Superior  is 
maintained  at  Cleveland.  Of  the  business  carried  on  by 
this  company,  Mr.  Jones  is  the  principal  owner,  and  he 
is  also  president  of  the  National  Hocking  Coal  Com- 
pany, which  owns  40.000  acres  of  coal  lands  in  Ohio.  He 


is  connected  also  with  the  Buckeye  Steamship  Com- 
pany, which  owns  several  boats  engaged  in  the  coal 
and  iron  trade  on  the  Great  Lakes. 

These  successive  steps  were  each  of  them  earned 
by  energetic  methods  and  the  application  of  practical 
ideas  to  every  undertaking  in  hand.  Mr.  Jones  is 
regarded  as  one  of  the  foremost  representatives  of  the 
great  mining  industry  of  the  Middle  West.  His  suc- 
cess has  been  rapid  and  continuous,  and  yet  prosperity 
such  as  he  has  enjoyed  does  not  occur  by  accident. 
Persistency  in  effort  toward  the  achievement  of  his 
plans  has  brought  legitimate  fruitage  in  a  career  that 
has  been  continuously  prosperous. 

Mr.  Jones  was  married  at  Granville,  Licking  County, 
Ohio,  October  22,  1884,  to  Miss  Sarah  F.  Follett,  only 
daughter  of  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Alfred  Follett,  and  has  added  a 
life  of  domestic  happiness  to  a  career  of  financial  prosper- 
ity. He  has  for  years  been  identified  with  the  Masonic 
order  and  is  a  member  of  Apollo  Commandery,  Knights 
Templar,  and  of  Medinah  Temple  in  the  Ancient  Arabic 
Order  of  Nobles  of  the  Mystic  Shrine.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Union  League,  Kenwood,  Washington  Park, 
Mid-day  and  Midlothian  Golf  clubs,  and  is  as  popular 
in  his  social  relations  as  he  is  prominent  in  business  life. 
Mr.  Jones  and  Mrs.  Jones  still  retain  the  old  house  at 
Granville,  Ohio,  as  a  summer  home,  and  a  farm  to  which 
he  is  much  devoted,  now  called  Monomoy  Place. 


HOMER    H.    PETERS. 

Homer  M.  Peters,  who  has  been  identified  with 
various  enterprises  since  his  coming  to  Chicago  in  Jan- 
uary, 1889,  is  one  of  the  city's  substantial  business  men. 
He  is  a  native  of  Michigan,  having  been  born  at  Scio, 


270 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


that  state,  January  20,  1854.     He  is  a  graduate  of  Ann 
Arbor. 

For  fifteen  years  Mr.  Peters  was  a  member  of  the 
Chicago  Board  of  Trade,  being  connected  with  the  firm 
of  Bartlett,  Frazier  &  Co..  now  Bartlett.  Frazier  &  Car- 
rington.  In  1903  he  was  made  president  of  the  Buffalo, 
Dunkirk  &  Western  Railroad  Company  (electric),  to  the 
duties  of  which  office  he  now  devotes  the  major  portion 
of  his  time.  He  is  also  president  of  the  Crescent  Oil, 
Asphalt  &  Gas  Company.  He  is  one  of  the  most  suc- 
cessful business  men  of  the  city,  arid  is  well  and  favor- 
ably known  by  financial  men  not  only  in  Chicago  but 
through  the  country  generally,  both  east  and  west.  He 
is  vice-president  of  the  First  National  Bank  of  San 
Diego,  California,  where  he  has  a  beautiful  winter  resi- 
dence, considered  one  of  the  handsomest  homes  on  the 
Pacific  coast.  He  also  has  a  beautiful  home  at  5528 
East  End  avenue,  numbered  among  the  finer  residences 
of  the  city. 

Washington  Porter  is  a  fine  representative  of  a  class 
much  more  numerous  in  Chicago  and  throughout  the 
United  States  than  is  suspected  by  the  politicians  and 
professional  traders  in  nationalities.  He  is  of  good  Eng- 
lish stock,  both  on  the  paternal  and  maternal  side.  The 
family  of  Porter  was  known  for  full  three  hundred  years 
among  the  large  landed  proprietors  of  the  English 
County  oi  Norfolk,  whence  Thomas  W.  Porter,  father 
of  Washington  Porter,  came  to  the  United  States  in 
1830.  He  married  Miss  Charlotte  Lane,  also  of  Eng- 
lish birth.  Mr.  Thomas  W.  Porter,  settled  first  in 
Buffalo  County,  New  York,  in  which  place  he  engaged 
actively  in  merchandising,  but  in  a  short  time  the  heredi- 
tary instinct  for  land  owning  and  management  of  agri- 
cultural affairs  asserted  itself,  and  he  moved  to  Boone 
County,  in  this  state,  and  became  a  successful  farmer 
on  a  large  scale.  Washington  Porter  was  born  at  the 
Boone  County  homestead,  October  26,  1846,  and  was 
educated  first  in  the  public  schools  of  the  neighbor- 
hood, and  afterwards  at  the  high  school  of  Belvidere. 
After  some  preliminary  commercial  experience  in 
the  country,  Mr.  Washington  Porter  came  to  Chicago 
in  1869.  He  was  then  twenty-three  years  of  age,  and, 
true  to  the  instincts  of  his  family,  began  to  exploit  the 
great  fruit-growing  resources  of  the  Far  West.  Dur- 
ing his  first  year  of  residence  in  this  city  he  shipped 
the  first  full  carload  of  fruit  that  ever  came  to  Chicago 
from  California.  This  was  simultaneous  with  the  open- 
ing of  the  first  transcontinental  railway.  At  a  later 
period  Mr.  Porter  furnished  the  money  for  the  planting 
of  the  first  orchard  and  vineyard  in  Fresno  County, 
California.  Fresno  is  now  one  of  the  great  fruit-pro- 
ducing regions  of  this  continent,  but  in  1869  it  took 
men  with  such  perseverance  and  courage  as  Mr.  Porter 
always  had  displayed  in  the  management  of  business 


affairs  to  promote  what  seemed  to  many  a  visionary- 
project.  In  1869  Mr.  Porter  also  brought  the  first  full 
carload  of  bananas  to  Chicago  from  the  Isthmus  of 
Darien,  or  Panama,  as  it  is  now  generally  called. 
Mr.  Porter  maintained  an  active  commercial  interest  in 
the  fruit  trade  between  the  Pacific  States  and  the  states 
of  Central  America  and  Chicago,  until  his  retirement 
a  few  years  ago  from  active  business.  He  now  enjoys 
the  ease  and  dignity  of  a  large  property  owner,  whose 
fortune  is  the  result  of  foresight,  energy  and  honesty. 
The  public  life  of  Mr.  Porter  has  been  of  signal  bene- 
fit to  the  citizens  of  Chicago.  He  was  one  of  the  small, 
resolute  and  brainy  coterie  to  whose  efforts  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  World's  Columbian  Exposition  in  Chi- 


WASHINGTON    PORTER. 

cago  was  due.  He  was  a  member  of  the  committee 
appointed  to  wait  upon  Congress  with  intent  to  secure 
legislation  favorable  to  Chicago,  and  from  the  first  clay 
of  the  session  of  1890  until  the  passage  of  the  act  by 
which  the  metropolis  of  the  West  was  designated  as  the 
place  to  which  the  eyes  of  the  world  should  be  turned 
in  1893,  as  the  center  of  the  most  wonderful  exposition 
ever  made  of  the  arts,  sciences,  agriculture  and  manu- 
factures of  all  nations,  Mr.  Porter  was  incessant  in  argu- 
ment with  representatives  and  senators  from  all  the 
states.  During  the  constructive  period  of  the  great 
enterprise  Mr.  Porter  was  an  active  member  of  the 
Ways  and  Means  Committee,  and  when  the  great  expo- 
sition was  an  accomplished  fact  he  was  chairman  of  the 
sub-committee  of  directors,  under  whose  management 
the  first  half-dollar  souvenir  coin  was  sold  for  the  fabu- 
lous sum  of  $10,000.  He  was  also  a  member  of  the 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


271 


committee  for  reduction  of  expenditures,  by  the  efforts 
of  which  the  running  expenses  of  the  great  institution 
were  reduced  from  $23,000  to  $15,000  per  day.  At  the 
close  of  the  exposition  Mr.  Porter  made  strong  efforts 
to  have  the  great  Manufactures  building  removed  from 
the  exposition  grounds  to  the  Lake  Front,  there  to 
remain  as  one  of  the  attractions  of  the  park  that  is  tak- 
ing the  place  of  the  old  dreary  waste  of  cinders  that 
used  to  stretch  from  Randolph  to  Twelfth  street.  The 
destruction  of  the  World's  Fair  buildings  by  fire  ren- 
dered the  public-spirited  plan  of  Mr.  Porter  nugatory. 
It  may  be  said,  in  passing,  that  Mr.  Porter  was  among 
the  first,  and  probably  absolutely  the  first,  to  advocate 
and  champion  the  permanent  improvement  of  the  Lake 
Front  into  a  spacious  and  elegant  plaisance. 

Mr.  Porter  has  a  good  war  record.  He  enlisted  at 
the  age  of  sixteen  years  in  the  Ninety-fifth  Illinois  Vol- 
unteers, and  was  in  action  at  Champion  Hill  and  at  the 
Siege  of  Vicksburg,  participated  in  the  Red  River  Expe- 
dition and  was  seriously  wounded  in  the  affair  at  Guns- 
town,  Mississippi,  June  10,  1864. 

Mr.  Porter  is  a  Mason  of  high  degree,  a  member  of 
the  Washington  Park  and  Athletic  clubs,  and  of  several 
other  social  organizations.  He  married,  June  II,  1891, 
Miss  Frances  Paulina  Lee  of  Chicago.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Porter  have  three  children,  Paulina  C.,  Washington  and 
Frederick  C.  Porter. 

John  George  Shortall,  son  of  John  and  Charlotte 
(Towson)  Shortall,  was  born  at  Dublin,  Ireland,  Sep- 
tember 20,  1838.  When  he  was  between  two  and  three 
years  of  age  his  parents  emigrated,  with  their  family,  to 
this  country,  joining  an  elder  branch  that  had  been  long 
settled  in  New  York  City. 

After  the  death  of  his  parents,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  employed  by  the  late  Horace  Greeley  in 
the  editorial  rooms  of  the  New  York  Tribune,  and  here, 
for  the  following  three  years,  he  was  brought  in  close 
contact  with  Mr.  Greeley  and  other  master  minds  who 
molded  the  public  opinion  of  the  day.  This  period  in 
his  life  proved  to  be  a  period  of  education  that  he  feels 
he  could  in  no  way  have  dispensed  with. 

In  the  summer  of  1854,  following  the  advice  of  Mr. 
Greeley,  he  came  West,  and  located  in  Galena,  Illinois, 
where  he  was  engaged  for  a  short  time  upon  the  con- 
struction and  survey  work  of  the  Illinois  Central  Rail- 
road, then  building  between  that  place  and  Scales 
Mound.  Late  in  the  fall,  however,  he  came  to  Chicago 
and  secured  a  position  on  the  Chicago  Tribune,  but  soon 
afterward  withdrew  from  the  newspaper  business  to 
enter  the  office  of  J.  Mason  Parker,  where  he  took  up 
the  study  of  real  estate  law  and  titles,  a  profession  he 
has  followed  to  the  present  time.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  Illinois  bar.  When  Mr.  Shortall  entered  this  office 
Mr.  Parker  was  engaged  in  preparing  the  real  estate 


abstract  books,  afterward  known  as  the  Shortall  & 
Hoard  Abstracts,  and  which  are  now  the  property  of 
the  Title  Guarantee  and  Trust  Company  of  Chicago, 
of  which  Mr.  Shortall  is  a  director. 

At  the  time  of  the  fire  of  1871,  the  firm  in  which 
Mr.  Shortall  was  interested  was  one  of  the  three  ab- 
stract firms  in  Chicago.  Each  saved  a  portion  of  its 
records,  but  no  one  set  was  complete.  A  consolidation 
was  therefore  effected  between  them,  and  Mr.  Shortall 
remained  actively  connected  with  his  associates  in  the 
conduct  of  the  business  until  1873. 

Mr.  Shortall  has  led  an  active  life  along  other  than 
purely  business  lines.  In  musical,  literary,  educational 
and  social  circles  he  has  been  especially  active.  For 


JOHN    GEORGE    SHORTALL. 

years  he  was  one  of  the  directors  of  the  old  Philhar- 
monic Society,  and  afterward  president  of  the  old  Bee- 
thoven Society,  during  almost  its  entire  existence.  For 
years  also  he  was  a  director  of  the  Chicago  Public 
Library,  and  served  three  terms  as  president  of  the 
board.  It  was  under  his  administration  that  plans  for 
the  present  superb  Library  building  were  selected  and 
that  the  negotiations  were  conducted  which  finally 
secured  Dearborn  Park  as  the  site  for  the  erection  of 
the  structure. 

Along  few  lines  of  work,  however,  has  the  name  of 
Mr.  Shortall  become  so  widely  known  as  through  his 
connection  with  the  Illinois  Humane  Society.  He  was 
one  of  the  organizers  of  this  commendable  institution 
in  1869,  and  in  1877  was  chosen  its  president,  a  posi- 
tion to  which  he  has  ever  since  been  annually  elected. 
Mr.  Shortall  was  also  instrumental  in  the  founding  of 


272 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


the  American  Humane  Association  in  1877,  and  was 
elected  its  president  in  1884,  being  re-elected  in  1892, 
and  annually  thenceforward  to  1898,  inclusive.  At  the 
World's  Fair  he  was  chairman  of  the  Men's  Committee 
on  Moral  and  Social  Reform  of  the  Auxiliary  Con- 
gresses, and  conducted  the  Humane  Congress  in  Octo- 
ber, 1893,  which  was  so  successful. 

In  social  circles  he  is  a  member  of  the  Chicago  Club, 
the  Chicago  Literary  Club  and  the  Reform  Club  of  New 
York.  He  is  also  an  honorary  member  of  the  Amateur 
Musical  Club  of  Chicago  and  of  the  Pennsylvania 
Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty  to  Animals.  He 
was  married  September  5,  1861,  to  Miss  Mary  Dun- 
ham Staples  of  Chicago,  who  died  August  24,  1880, 
leaving  one  child,  John  L.  Shortall. 

George  E.  Lincoln,  general  western  manager  for 
the  Mergenthaler  Linotype  Company,  is  one  of  the 
best  known  men  in  the  country  among  members  of 
the  printing  and  publishing  trade.  From  the  time  when 
he  completed  his  apprenticeship  in  Philadelphia  until  he 
took  up  his  permanent  residence  in  Chicago  in  his 
present  position,  he  traveled  through  the  United  States 
first  as  a  journeyman  printer  and  later  as  the  represent- 
ative of  the  Mergenthaler  Company. 

When  the  company  opened  a  branch  in  Chicago  on 
January  i,  1902,  Mr.  Lincoln  was  sent  here  to  take 
charge.  At  that  time  he  had  been  with  the  company 
longer  than  any  other  traveling  man.  Mr.  Lincoln  had 
always  urged  strongly  the  opening  of  a  Chicago  branch 
office  and  the  fact  that  its  monthly  business  is  now 
almost  as  great  as  that  of  the  New  York  office  is  evi- 
dence of  his  sound  judgment. 

Practically  all  of  Mr.  Lincoln's  life  has  been  spent 
in  various  branches  of  the  printing  trade.  He  was 
born  in  Lancaster  County,  Pennsylvania,  September  2, 
1848.  When  he  was  three  years  old  the  family  moved 
to  a  farm  along  the  Pennsylvania  pike,  near  Parkes- 
burg,  Chester  County.  Mr.  Lincoln  still  makes  it  a 
practice  to  spend  several  weeks  each  summer  on  the 
old  homestead.  He  left  the  farm  when  a  boy  and 
started  in  as  a  printing  apprentice  at  Ashmead's  book 
office  in  Philadelphia,  the  first  establishment  in  the 
United  States  to  use  a  power  press.  He  completed  his 
apprenticeship  when  twenty-one  years  old  and  suddenly 
decided  to  come  West.  After  his  first  trip  to  the  West, 
Mr.  Lincoln  traveled  back  and  forth  across  the  country 
working  as  a  printer  in  hundreds  of  towns  and  cities. 
At  one  time  he  was  part  owner  of  the  North  Missouri 
Courier  of  Hannibal  and  also  proprietor  of  a  brewery  in 
the  same  town.  At  another  time  he  published  a  string 
of  Colorado  mining  town  papers.  Again  he  was  a 
plainsman  with  the  J.  &  J.  outfit.  In  1880  Mr.  Lin- 
coln went  on  the  road  selling  printing  material.  In 
1886  he  entered  the  employ  of  the  Mergenthaler  Lino- 
type Company.  In  the  first  four  years  of  that  com- 


pany's existence,  on  account  of  temerity  of  publishers 
and  violent  opposition  from  printers,  not  a  machine  was 
sold.  The  promoters  spent  $2,000,000  pushing  the 
invention  before  the  printers  realized  that  with  its  aid 
they  could  make  money  easier  and  quicker  than  by  set- 
ting type  by  hand.  Since  then  the  sale  of  the  machines 
has  been  rapid.  In  the  United  States  there  are  now 
10,000  in  2,000  different  offices.  Though  the  matrices 


GEORGE   E.   LINCOLN. 

must  be  replaced,  the  machines  never  wear  out  and 
Nos.  30,  31,  32  and  others  are  still  in  use  in  the  office 
of  the  New  Orleans  Times-Democrat.  The  company 
estimates  that  20,000  more  machines  will  be  needed 
before  every  office  in  the  United  States  is  supplied. 
Matrices  are  manufactured  for  twenty-seven  different 
languages. 

The  Chicago  branch  was  first  located  in  small  rooms 
on  Dearborn  street,  but  so  rapid  was  its  growth  that 
it  was  soon  moved  to  its  present  quarters  in  Steinway 
Hall,  17  Van  Buren  street.  From  twenty-five  to  forty 
new  machines  are  shipped  from  this  branch  monthly. 
More  than  6,000,000  matrices  of  type  sorts  are  kept 
constantly  in  stock,  besides  the  complete  alphabets.  The 
office  handles  all  of  the  territory  between  Pennsylvania 
and  Utah. 

Mr.  Lincoln  is  married,  but  has  no  children.  He  is 
a  member  of  the  Chicago  Athletic  Association  and  the 
Chicago  Commercial  Club  and  various  fraternal  organi- 
zations. 

Jacob  Levi  Kesner,  in  less  than  twenty  years  rose 
from  the  position  of  cash  boy  to  be  general  manager  of 
The  Fair,  one  of  the  largest  department  stores  in  the 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


273 


world.  Starting  in  October,  1887,  as  cash  boy  at  $2.50 
a  week,  he  was  advanced  from  time  to  time  to  bundle 
wrapper,  cashier,  salesman,  floorwalker,  buyer,  assistant 
manager  and  then  to  head  control  of  the  entire  business, 
which  position  he  has  held  since  January  i,  1895. 

He  was  born  in  London,  England,  December  30, 
1865,  the  son  of  L.  J.  and  Sarah  (Staal)  Kesner.  He 
came  to  Chicago  with  his  parents  in  boyhood  and 
received  a  common  school  education  at  the  Scammon 
and  Haven  schools.  For  a  time  he  also  attended  busi- 
ness college.  Devoting  himself  conscientiously  to 
whatever  task  his  employers  set  him  to  do,  he  soon  won 
their  confidence  and  was  rewarded  by  a  consistent 
advancement  of  position.  In  addition  to  his  holdings 
in  The  Fair,  Mr.  Kesner  has  other  large  interests.  He 
is  president  of  the  Strowger  Automatic  Telephone 
exchange  and  other  business  organizations. 

He  was  married  in  Chicago,  August  30,  1887,  to 
Miss  Bettie  Frohman.  They  have  one  daughter,  Lucile. 
He  is  a  member  of  Sinai  congregation.  Mr.  Kesner 
is  a  Republican  in  politics  and  belongs  to  the  Hamilton 
and  Standard  clubs.  He  has  a  beautiful  residence  at 
4756  Grand  boulevard. 


Oscar  f.  Mayer,  of  the  firm  of  O.  F.  Mayer  & 
Brother,  came  to  Chicago  from  Detroit  in  1876,  and 
began  his  successful  career  as  an  independent  packer, 
with  his  brother  as  business  associate,  on  the  present  site 
of  the  firm's  plant  at  Sedgwick  street  and  Beethoven 
place.  Its  packing  houses,  refrigerating  plant,  smoke 
houses  and  auxiliary  premises,  such  as  sausage  houses, 
pickling  vats  and  shipping  rooms,  are  said  to  be  the  best 
18 


equipped  in  Chicago.  The  products  of  Mayer  & 
Brother  are  well  known  throughout  Illinois,  Iowa  and 
Wisconsin,  and  have  proven  formidable  in  competition 
with  other  provisions  and  "delikatessen." 

The  plant  consists  of  two  modern  four-story  build- 
ings, with  an  aggregate  floor  space  of  123,000  square 
feet.  The  salesrooms  on  the  main  floor  are  the  largest 
on  the  North  Side,  and  in  direct  communication  with 
the  capacious  freezing  vaults  and  refrigerators.  The 
slaughter  house,  where  all  hogs  for  local  sales  as  well 
as  shipment  are  slaughtered,  is  one  of  the  most  sani- 
tary and  best  equipped  in  Chicago. 

Oscar  F.  Mayer's  brother,  Godfried  Mayer,  is  known 
as  one  of  the  ablest  buyers  and  connoisseurs  of  hogs, 
sheep  and  cattle.  Both  members  of  the  firm  were  prac- 
tical butchers  until  the  growth  of  their  business  com- 
pelled them  to  take  the  parts  of  supervisors  and 
managers  of  their  extensive  trade  and  responsibilities. 
A  short  time  ago  a  complete  set  of  the  most  up-to-date 
machinery  known  to  the  provision  trade  was  installed, 
and  the  working  force  was  increased  80  to  100  men  on 
the  various  killing  floors,  freezing  vaults,  cutting  rooms 
and  other  departments.  Mr.  Oscar  F.  Mayer  is  one  of 
the  best  known  German-Americans  in  Chicago.  He  is 
a  prominent  mason,  a  member  of  the  Germania  Club, 
the  Illinois  Athletic  Association,  the  Chicago  Turn- 
gemeinde,  Chicago  Schuetzenverein,  an  ardent  hunter, 
and  a  general  sportsman. 

Charles  Enoch  /Worrill,  son  of  Amos  and  Sarah 
(Eastman)  Morrill,  was  born  on  a  farm  in  East  Kings- 
ton, New  Hampshire,  January  n,  1832.  He  was  edu- 
cated in  the  public  schools  of  that  district  and  at  the 
age  of  sixteen  took  up  the  trade  of  a  shoemaker, 
working  two  years  at  it.  In  1850  he  found  better  oppor- 
tunities for  his  efforts  in  a  country  store  at  East 
Kingston,  and  entered  the  place  as  a  clerk,  which  store 
he  later  on  bought  out. 

In  1858  he  was  employed  by  the  firm  of  Stimson, 
Valentine  &  Company,  manufacturers  of  varnishes  and 
paints,  as  a  shipping  clerk,  which  position  he  held  for 
four  years.  At  the  end  of  that  time  he  was  made  a 
traveling  salesman,  and  in  1882  became  manager  of  the 
Chicago  branch  of  the  company.  During  the  same  year 
he  organized  the  Lawson  Varnish  Company,  and  was 
made  president  of  the  concern.  He  maintained  his  con- 
nection with  Valentine  &  Company,  however,  and  in 
1898,  when  the  two  companies  consolidated  under  the 
name  of  Valentine  &  Company,  he  was  made  vice-pres- 
ident of  the  consolidated  company  and  two  years  later 
was  made  president,  which  office  he  holds  at  the  present 
time.  The  concern  is  one  of  the  largest  varnish  and 
color  Companies  in  the  world,  and  has  offices  in  New 
York,  Chicago,  Boston,  Paris,  London  and  Amsterdam. 

Mr.  Morrill  is  a  Democrat  in  politics  and  is  a  mem- 


•JTI 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


her  of  the  Union  League  and  Washington  Park  clubs. 
In  1857  he  was  married  to  Miss  Adeline  Susan  Carter, 
and  has  three  children,  Mr.  Allan  A.  Morrill,  Mrs.  Susie 
A.  Cole  and  Mrs.  Annie  S.  Hays.  His  residence  is  at 


CHARLES  ENOCH  MORRILL. 

275  East  Fifty-third  street,  but  much  of  his  time  is 
spent  at  his  summer  home  in  New  Hampshire. 

Professor  Theophilus  Noel,  founder  and  president  of 
the  Theo.  Noel  Company,  is  a  personality  of  remarkable 
characteristics.  From  his  boyhood  days  until  the  pres- 
ent time  the  story  of  his  experiences  and  adventures 
reads  like  the  pages  of  a  popular  and  thrilling  romance. 
In  commerce,  politics  and  even  in  the  literary  history  of 
the  nation  he  has  taken  a  conspicuous  and  successful 
place. 

Professor  Noel  was  born  at  Niles,  Berrien  County, 
Michigan,  in  July,  1840.  His  father  was  the  village 
physician  and  a  man  of  influence  in  the  neighborhood. 
Theophilus  Noel  was  the  youngest  boy  of  the  family, 
and  upon  him  devolved  the  duty  of  chief  aid  to  his 
father,  first  as  messenger  and  eventually  as  assistant  in 
the  medical  practice.  In  these  years  of  early  training 
under  this  stern  and  exacting  parent  were  acquired  the 
habits  of  self-reliance  and  uprightness  which  form 
a  strong  part  of  Professor  Noel's  character. 

In  September,  1853,  the  elder  Noel  sold  his  Michi- 
gan farm  and  started  with  his  family  for  Texas.  Though 
at  the  time  Professor  Noel  was  only  twelve  years  of  age, 
every  detail  of  that  transaction  and  the  incidents  of  the 
long  trip  down  the  Mississippi  to  New  Orleans  and 
across  the  country  to  Seguin,  Texas,  is  still  vivid  in  his 
memory. 


That  part  of  the  country  was  then  a  wild  and  only 
sparsely  settled  section  of  the  frontier.  Here  Theophilus 
Noel  educated  himself.  His  text  books  were  Cobb's 
Speller,  Pike's  Arithmetic  and  Webster's  Elementary 
Spelling  Book.  The  first  book  he  ever  read  was  the 
Life  of  Washington,  and  from  it  was  acquired  much  of 
his  hatred  of  monarchs  and  despots  and  his  love  for  the 
free  born,  independent  and  sterling  American  citizen. 

When  the  Civil  War  broke  out,  young  Noel  was 
naturally  found  on  the  side  of  the  Confederacy.  His 
frontier  experience  stood  him  in  good  stead  and,  as  a 
Texas  Ranger,  he  took  a  prominent  part  in  the  field, 
while  in  the  affairs  of  state  of  the  "lost  cause"  his  shrewd 
business  judgment  was  often  of  value.  After  the  war 
Mr.  Noel  was  one  of  the  foremost  ones  in  helping  to 
heal  its  scars  and  bring  about  a  better  feeling  of  har- 
mony between  the  North  and  South.  He  helped  to 
organize  the  Confederate  veterans  of  Chicago,  and  was 
a  warm  personal  friend  of  Generals  Grant  and  Logan. 

Professor  Noel  has  been  interested  in  many  note- 
worthy commercial  ventures.  His  first  was  the  placing 
of  a  superior  grade  of  cotton  seed  on  the  market.  Next 
came  the  introduction  to  the  fruit  world  of  the  famous 
Alberta  peach.  But  the  greatest  was  the  discovery  of 
Vitae-ore.  Professor  Noel  recognized  the  medicinal 
properties  of  the  mineral,  and  organized  the  corporation 


PROFESSOR   THEOPHILUS    NOEL. 

which  bears  his  name,  for  the  purpose  of  putting  these 
properties  in  such  form  as  to  be  valuable  to  mankind. 
In  his  spare  moments  during  travel  or  rest  he  has 
found  time  to  prepare  a  comprehensive  autobiography 
covering  every  detail  of  his  life  from  babyhood  to  the 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


275 


present  time.  It  is  one  of  the  most  novel  and  interest- 
ing books  one  would  care  to  read.  Full  of  the  strong 
philosophy  and  hard  common  sense  of  the  author,  it  is 
highly  appreciated  by  his  friends  who  have  been  so 
fortunate  as  to  receive  a  copy. 

Charles  A.  Plamondon  is  one  of  Chicago's  leading 
business  men  and  public-spirited  citizens.  He  has  twice 
held  public  office,  but  in  each  case  the  office  called  for 
great  sacrifice  on  his  part  and  for  the  qualities  of  public 
spirit  that  he  possesses.  As  a  member  of  the  Chicago 
Public  Library  Board  for  four  years,  he  gave  the  devo- 
tion to  his  work  which  is  often  most  required  in  posi- 
tions that  are  the  farthest  removed  from  the  limelight. 
For  a  year  he  was  president  of  the  board.  While  Mr. 


CHARLES  A.    PLAMONDON. 

Plamondon  was  a  member  of  the  library  board  many 
of  the  important  innovations  and  improvements  in  its 
management  were  inaugurated  and  it  was  through  his 
energy  that  many  of  them  were  put  into  use. 

Mr.  Plamondon  has  for  four  years  been  a  member 
of  the  Board  of  Education.  For  one  year  he  was  vice- 
president  of  the  board  and  at  another  time  was  a  promi- 
nent candidate  for  president.  In  this  capacity,  too,  his 
work  has  been  tireless.  In  many  respects  the  work  of 
the  board  of  education  is  the  most  important  in  the  life 
of  the  city.  In  all  the  perplexing  problems  of  educa- 
tion and  finance  that  have  come  before  the  body,  Mr. 
Plamondon  has  shown  an  enthusiasm  and  a  grasp  of 
general  educational  and  business  conditions  that  have 
made  him  one  of  the  leading  factors. 

As  a  business  man,  Mr.  Plamondon  has  been  known 
mostly  through  his  connection  with  the  A.  Plamondon 


Manufacturing  Company,  founded  by  his  father  during 
the  early  days  of  the  city.  He  entered  the  employ  of 
his  father  in  1872,  then  a  boy  of  16.  When  his  father 
died,  February  19,  1896,  he  was  made  head  of  the  com- 
pany and  has  held  that  position  since.  He  is  also  vice- 
president  of  the  Saladin  Pneumatic  Malting  Construc- 
tion Company  and  a  director  of  the  Fort  Dearborn 
National  Bank.  He  has  also  been  a  director  of  the  Illi- 
nois Manufacturers'  Association  and  was  president  of 
that  organization  for  a  year. 

In  May,  1900,  following  the  sinking  of  the  Spanish 
fleet  in  Manila  Bay,  Mr.  Plamondon  was  made  chair- 
man of  the  reception  committee  during  the  Dewey 
celebration.  In  1903  he  was  chairman  of  the  Chicago 
Centennial  Committee,  which  conducted  the  celebra- 
tion of  Chicago's  looth  anniversary,  or  the  settling  of 
the  first 'white  man  in  the  city. 

Mr.  Plamondon  was  born  at  Ottawa,  Illinois,  Sep- 
tember 14,  1856.  Shortly  after  his  birth  his  family  moved 
to  Chicago-.  He  was  sent  to  the  Chicago  public  schools 
where  he  received  the  major  portion  of  his  education. 
In  social  circles  Mr.  Plamondon  has  taken  a  leading 
part  and  is  one  of  the  best  known  men  in  the  city.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  Chicago  Athletic  Association,  the 
German  Mannerchor  and  the  Washington  Park  Club. 

Charles  L.  Bartlett  is  a  comparatively  recent  addi- 
tion to  the  coterie  of  progressive  western  business  men 
who  have  made  the  name  of  Chicago  synonymous  with 
enterprise  and  success.  The  earlier  years  of  Mr.  Bart- 
lett's  business  career  were  passed  in  the  East  and  he 
came  to  Chicago  as  local  manager  of  the  Procter  & 
Gamble  Distributing  Company  only  ten  years  ago. 
At  present  Mr.  Bartlett  is  Chicago  manager  for  this 
great  soap  company,  and  also  president  and  controlling 
factor  in  the  organization  of  the  Orangeine  Chemical 
Company. 

Mr.  Bartlett  was  born  at  Fishkill-on-the-Hudson, 
November  13,  1853.  Shortly  afterwards  his  family 
moved  to  Hartford,  Connecticut,  where  he  received  his 
earlier  education.  After  being  graduated  from  the  high 
school  of  that  city  he  entered  Yale  University.  He 
received  his  college  degree  as  a  member  of  the  famous 
Yale  class  of  1876.  The  first  business  experience  of 
Mr.  Bartlett,  after  his  college  days,  was  in  the  actuarial 
department  of  the  Connecticut  Mutual  Life  Insurance 
Company  of  Hartford.  He  left  this  position  in  1880  to 
start  in  the  brokerage  business  at  Utica,  New  York. 
In  this  he  was  financially  successful,  but  after  ten  years' 
experience  became  disgusted  with  the  fundamental 
principles  of  the  business  and  decided  to  withdraw  from 
all  speculative  ventures.  In  1890  he  sold  his  interests 
in  order  to  associate  himself  with  the  business  of  the 
Procter  &  Gamble  Company. 

He  was  at  once  made  manager  of  the  New  York 
State  interests  of  the  concern.  So  marked  was  his  sue- 


L'76 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


cess  in  this  position  that  when  the  firm  cast  about  for  a 
progressive  manager  of  the  Chicago  office  of  the 
Procter  &  Gamble  Distributing  Company,  Mr.  Bart- 
lett  was  sent  west  in  1895. 

In  1899  Mr.  Bartlett  started  the  business  of  the 
Orangeine  Chemical  Company,  which  has  now  grown  to 
world-wide  proportions.  He  has  been  the  president  of 


CHARLES    L.    BARTLETT. 

the  corporation  since  its  inception.  One  day  when 
physically  depressed,  Mr.  Bartlett  happened  to  meet 
his  friend,  William  Gillette,  the  playright  and  actor. 
Gillette  gave  him  a  powder  which  he  always  carried 
for  such  occasions,  and  Mr.  Bartlett  tried  it  with  unex- 
pected relief.  After  further  test  of  the  remedy  for 
fatigue,  colds,  headaches  and  minor  ailments,  the 
Orangeine  powder  became  a  factor  for  both  his  house- 
hold and  staff  of  employees.  So  accurate  and  invariable 
were  the  results  in  the  saving  of  time  and  strength  from 
pain  and  sickness,  that  Mr.  Bartlett  decided  to  extend 
the  Orangeine  prescription  for  public  usefulness,  and 
from  tTiis  decision  has  resulted  its  present  wide  sale  and 
appreciation. 

The  Hamilton  National  Bank,  80  La  Salle  street, 
was  founded  in  1903,  with  Mr.  Bartlett's  cooperation. 
He  has  been  one  of  the  directors  of  the  financial  institu- 
tion since  its  organization.  Mr.  Bartlett  is  an  entertain- 
ing conversationalist,  of  a  sociable  nature  and  a  member 
of  many  clubs.  In  Chicago  he  is  a  member  of  the 
University  Club,  the  Chicago  Club,  the  Saddle  and 
Cycle  Club,  the  Omventsia  Club  and  the  Merchants' 
Club. 


Robert  M.  Simon,  former  recorder  of  deeds  for 
Cook  County  and  now  a  member  of  the  State  Board  of 
Equalization  from  the  Tenth  Congressional  district, 
was  born  on  the  North  Side,  February  17.  1866.  He  is 
the  son  of  Simon  Simon,  one  of  Chicago's  most 
respected  citizens.  After  attending  the  public  schools 
and  graduating  from  the  Lake  View  High  School  in 
the  class  of  1883,  he  went  to  work.  He  took  an  inter- 
est in  politics  from  the  start  and  soon  became  an  able 
worker  in  the  Republican  party. 

Mr.  Simon  in  1894  was  elected  collector  of  Lake 
View  by  the  largest  plurality  ever  received  by  a  Repub- 
lican candidate  for  that  office.  He  was  chosen  recorder 
of  deeds  in  1896  and  was  re-elected  in  1900.  Between 
1896  and  1900  Mr.  Simon  was  secretary  of  the  Cook 
County  Republican  Central  Committee,  an  office  to 
which  he  was  duly  elected  in  1898.  He  has  repeatedly 
headed  the  delegations  from  his  district  in  Republican 
conventions.  Few  men  in  politics  enjoy  the  confidence 
of  his  fellow  party  leaders  as  does  Mr.  Simon,  his  most 
distinguished  characteristic  being  his  stanch  loyalty 
to  his  friends.  Honesty  and  economy  have  been  the 
predominating  factors  of  Mr.  Simon's  regime  as  an 


ROBERT    M.    SIMON. 

office  holder  and  he  has  filled  the  positions  of  trust  to 
which  he  has  been  repeatedly  elected  to  the  satisfaction 
of  the  public.  He  inaugurated  many  reforms  and  intro- 
duced systems  by  which  the  work  of  his  departments 
was  greatly  facilitated.  The  Torrens  law  became  oper- 
ative during  his  incumbency. 

Mr.  Simon  married  Miss  Nellie  Frances  Ceperly  and 
resides  at  2561  North  Ashland  avenue,  Ravenswood.  He 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


277 


is  a  leading  spirit  in  social  as  well  as  political  affairs  in 
the  district  and  was  a  founder  of  the  Ravenswood  His- 
torical Society  and  Public  Library.  He  is  a  contributor 
to  many  other  public  enterprises.  In  addition  to  being  a 
Royal  Arch  Mason,  Mr.  Simon  is  a  prominent  member 
of  many  fraternal  organizations,  including  the  Royal 
League,  National  Union,  Chicago  Athletic  Club,  Ham- 
ilton Club,  Ravenswood  Club  and  Ravenswood  Whist 
Club. 

Charles  J.  Happel,  Under  the  administration  -of 
Warden  Charles  J.  Happel  the  two  most  important 
additions  to  the  county  hospital  have  been  built  and 
the  daily  average  of  patients  has  increased  150 
owing  to  the  growing  confidence  of  the  people  in  the 


CHARLES   J.   HAPPEL. 

institution.  The  new  additions  consist  of  an  annex  for 
children  and  a  separate  building  for  contagious  diseases. 
The  children's  hospital  is  the  only  institution  of  the 
kind  in  Chicago  and  it  owes  its  existence  largely  to  the 
efforts  of  Warden  Happel. 

Mr.  Happel  first  became  connected  with  the  county 
hospital  in  1895,  when  he  was  appointed  warden. 
Owing  to  the  defeat  of  Mayor  Swift's  faction  in  the 
Republican  party  the  following  year  Mr.  Happel  was 
superseded  in  the  position,  and  was  given  the  position 
of  assistant  superintendent  of  water-pipe  extension  by 
the  mayor.  In  1897  and  1898  he  was  superintendent 
of  Douglas  Park  and  in  1899  and  1900  was  elected 
county  commissioner. 

When  Daniel  D.  Healy  was  made  warden  of  the 
county  hospital  in  1901  Mr.  Happel  was  appointed 
assistant  warden,  and  when  Mr.  Healy  resigned  the 


position  to  accept  the  Republican  nomination  for  sheriff 
in  1902  Mr.  Happel  succeeded  him,  taking  the  position 
in  August  of  that  year.  Mr.  Happel  soon  after  began 
to  advocate  the  construction  of  a  separate  building  for 
contagious  diseases.  Last  year  his  plans  were  realized 
in  the  construction  of  a  building  costing  $120,000,  with 
beds  for  one  hundred  and  fifty  patients,  completely 
isolated  from  the  other  hospital  buildings.  Mr.  Happel 
also  urged  the  building  of  a  hospital  where  the  children 
of  the  poor  could  have  expert  medical  attention  and 
nursing.  In  1904  a  building  was  erected  which  was 
opened  in  1905,  which  provides  one  hundred  and  thirty 
beds  for  the  little  folk,  who  may  be  suffering  from  dis- 
ease. The  building  cost  $80,000,  and  contains  all  the 
modern  appliances  for  the  treatment,  care  and  amuse- 
ment of  the  small  patients.  These  new  buildings  added 
300  beds  to  the  capacity  of  the  hospital,  increasing  the 
number  from  950  to  1,250. 

Under  Mr.  Happel's  administration  the  county 
hospital  has  become  a  popular  sanitarium  for  the  sick 
in  moderate  circumstances.  In  prior  years  the  hospital 
was  regarded  with  something  akin  to  dread  by  the 
unfortunates  who  were  compelled  to  go  there.  This 
feeling  has  worn  away,  and  the  institution  is  now 
eagerly  sought  as  offering  the  best  medical  attention 
under  the  best  sanitary  conditions. 

Mr.  Happel  was  born  in  Chicago  January  27,  1857- 
He  obtained  his  education  in  the  public  schools  and 
started  in  business  in  1875  as  a  cigar  manufacturer.  He 
continued  in  the  business  until  1892.  He  had  taken 
an  interest  in  politics  and  his  first  political  reward  was 
the  appointment  as  county  agent  in  1894.  He  served 
a  year  in  this  position,  at  the  end  of  which  he  was 
appointed  warden  the  first  time. 

Mr.  Happel  is  married  and  has  two  children,  Fred 
and  Etta.  He  is  a  member  of  Herder  Lodge  A.  F.  & 
A.  M.,  and  other  societies. 

Thomas  E.  Barrett,  sheriff  of  Cook  County,  was 
born  in  Chicago,  on  the  north  side  of  the  river,  obtained 
his  education  at  the  old  Kinzie  school  at  Ohio  street 
and  La  Salle  avenue,  and,  except  the  eight  months  he 
worked  in  a  coal  mine  in  Pennsylvania,  has  lived  con- 
tinuously in  the  north  division  of  the  city.  More  than 
sixty  years  ago  Anthony  and  Rose  Barrett,  parents  of 
Sheriff  Barrett,  came  to  Chicago,  and  took  up  their 
residence  at  the  corner  of  Market  and  Erie  streets, 
where  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  April 
30,  1863. 

When  Young  Barrett  was  in  his  ninth  year  the  fire 
of  1871  destroyed  the  Barrett  home,  and  the  future 
sheriff  started  out  to  help  repair  the  family  fortunes  by 
going  to  work  in  a  coal  mine  at  Tnkerman,  Pennsylva- 
nia. He  found  the  task  of  picking  slate  out  of  coal 
uncongenial,  and  at  the  end  of  eight  months  returned 


278 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


to  Chicago,  where  he  got  a  job  as  errand  boy  with 
Field,  Leiter  &  Co.,  but  soon  after  entered  the  messen- 
ger service  of  the  American  District  Telegraph  Com- 
pany. His  real  business  career  began,  however,  when 
he  became  a  messenger  boy  for  Brown,  Fleming  &  Co., 
a  board  of  trade  firm,  with  which  he  remained  for 
twenty-eight  years. 

In  1887  Mr.  Barrett  entered  the  brokerage  firm  of 
Boyden  &  Co.,  with  which  he  remained  until  the  death 
of  Mr.  Boyden,  in  1894  or  1895,  when  the  firm  name 
was  changed  to  J.  F.  Barrett  &  Co.,  which  consisted  of 
John,  Tom  and  Tony  Barrett.  A  few  years  afterward 
the  firm  name  was  changed  to  Barrett,  Farnum  &  Co., 
which  did  business  two  and  one-half  years.  On  the  dis- 


THOMAS    E.    BARRETT. 

solution  of  the  firm,  Mr.  Barrett  went  into  the  grain 
brokerage  business  for  himself,  and  was  engaged  in  it 
when  elected  sheriff. 

Sheriff  Barrett  has  always  been  interested  in  sports, 
especially  baseball  and  boxing,  though  handball,  horse 
racing  and  other  outdoor  amusements  have  received  a 
great  deal  of  his  attention.  In  1880  he  organized  the  old 
Whiting  Baseball  Club,  which  achieved  a  high  reputa- 
tion in  amateur  baseball  circles.  Mr.  Barrett  was  one  of 
the  organizers,  and  was  at  the  head  of  the  city  baseball 
league  for  fourteen  years.  He  is  still  a  liberal  patron 
of  the  amateur  as  well  as  professional  exhibitions  of 
the  national  game. 

As  an  amateur  boxer,  Mr.  Barrett  was  for  many 
years  the  idol  of  the  Board  of  Trade  and  other  local 
patrons  of  the  pugilistic  art.  He  met  al!  the  leading 
amateurs  of  his  class  in  the  West,  and  at  a  tournament 


in  the  old  Athenaeum  gymnasium  in  March,  1887,  won 
the  middle-weight  amateur  championship  of  Illinois,  in 
a  contest  with  Frank  Rheims.  This  victory  satisfied 
his  pugilistic  ambition,  and  the  following  August  he 
married  and  retired  from  the  ring. 

In  later  years  Mr.  Barrett  owned  and  managed  an 
extensive  racing  stable  of  runners  and  trotters,  but  a 
few  years  before  his  election  as  sheriff  he  disposed  of 
his  horses  and  gave  up  the  turf.  He  has  never  ceased, 
however,  to  take  an  interest  in  racing  as  a  sport. 

Sheriff  Barrett  has  always  been  a  Democrat,  and 
taken  an  active  interest  in  politics.  He  was  never  a 
candidate  for  office  until  he  was  nominated  for  sheriff 
by  the  Democrats  in  1902,  when  he  was  the  only  man 
on  the  Democratic  County  ticket  elected.  Except  the 
candidate  for  sheriff  all  the  Republicans  on  the  county 
ticket  were  elected  by  pluralities  ranging  from  5,000 
to  15,000,  while  Mr.  Barrett  defeated  Daniel  D.  Healy, 
the  Republican  candidate,  by  nearly  7,000  plurality. 

In  August,  1887,  Mr.  Barrett  married  Miss  Ellen 
McCoy.  They  have  one  child,  a  daughter,  Josephine, 
now  sixteen  years  old.  Mr.  Barrett  lives  in  Ravens- 
wood,  in  the  twenty-sixth  ward. 

Francis  O'Neill,  chief  of  police  of  Chicago,  is  a  type 
of  officer  of  the  old  school.  He  rose  from  the  ranks  as 
a  result  of  his  strict  attention  to  duty,  his  bravery  and 
ability  as  a  thief-catcher.  Fearless  and  energetic  his 
name  stands  without  stain  or  reproach. 

Born  of  Irish  parentage  in  Tralibane,  three  miles 
from  Bantry,  County  Cork,  Ireland,  on  August  28, 
1849,  Francis  O'Neill  secured  in  the  national  school 
of  Bantry  a  thoroughly  sound  education  on  all  general 
subjects,  including  the  classics.  His  father  was  an  edu- ' 
cated  and  well-to-do  farmer,  while  his  mother  was  one 
of  the  O'Mahoney's,  an  influential  and  historic  name  in 
the  province  of  Munster. 

Francis  O'Neill  was  a  bright  boy,  an  omnivorous 
reader,  an  ardent  student,  and  so  distinguished  himself 
in  mathematics  as  to  be  named  by  his  teacher,  "Philoso- 
pher O'Neill."  He  was  senior  member  of  his  class  at 
fourteen  years  of  age. 

When  barely  sixteen  and  with  the  limited  capital  of 
five  dollars  he  left  home  and  started  out  in  the  world 
to  seek  his  own  fortune.  He  was  advised  to  become  a 
Christian  Brother  or  a  teacher  in  one  of  the  Catholic 
schools.  To  having  missed  an  appointment  with  Bishop 
Delaney  of  the  City  of  Cork  he  attributes  his  failure  to 
become  a  monk.  He  worked  his  way  to  Sunderland 
in  the  north  of  England  in  March,  1865,  and  after  vari- 
ous vicissitudes  shipped  there  as  a  cabin  boy,  sailing  up 
the  Mediterranean  and  via  the  Dardanelles,  the  Bos- 
phorus  and  the  Black  Sea  to  Odessa,  the  great  southern 
port  of  Russia.  An  accident  in  which  he  fractured  his 
skull  occurred  during  his  return  trip  to  Sunderland.  He 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


279 


next  shipped  to  Alexandria,  Egypt,  where  he  remained 
nine  weeks.  During  the  course  of  the  voyage  he 
saved  the  boatswain  from  drowning,  but  received 
ill  treatment  instead  of  reward  during  the  balance  of 
the  trip.  He  had  some  very  interesting  experiences  in 
subsequent  voyages,  and  finally  shipped  for  New  York 
at  Liverpool  in  July,  1866,  from  which  point  he  sailed 
to  Santa  Cruz,  the  West  Indies,  and  many  places  in 
South  America,  returning  to  New  York.  He  left  for 
Japan  on  the  "Minnehaha"  of  Boston  a  few  months 
later  and  reached  his  destination  after  seven  months  of 
interesting  and  exciting  experiences. 

Ten  weeks  later  the  journey  was  resumed  to  Hono- 
lulu, Sandwich  Islands,  from  where  he  went  to  Baker's 
Island  in  the  Southern  Pacific,  where  the  vessel  was 
wrecked  entailing  great  loss  and  suffering. 

After  eleven  days  on  this  coral  island  the  crew  was 
picked  up  by  a  passing  ship.  The  sailors  were  fed  on  one 
and  one-half  biscuits  daily  with  a  pint  of  unsweetened 
black  tea  for  thirty-four  days  and  landed  at  Honolulu. 
All,  with  the  exception  of  three,  Mr.  O'Neill  being  one, 
were  sent  to  the  hospital.  Mr.  O'Neill's  skill  as  a 
musician  proved  a  valuable  accomplishment  on  the 
voyage.  Among  the  Kanaka  crew  of  the  rescuing 
vessel  was  a  man  who  had  evidently  met  the  missionaries, 
for  he  could  play  one  hymn  fairly  well  on  a  concert 
flute.  Mr.  O'Neill  being  an  expert  on  the  instrument 
found  a  warm  friend,  and  he  was  favored  with  a  share 
of  the  Kanaka  sailor's  rations.  For  this  reason  Mr. 
O'Neill  says  he  did  not  go  to  the  hospital. 

Arriving  at  San  Francisco  some  months  later,  Mr. 
O'Neill  decided  on  a  change  of  occupation,  hiring 
out  as  a  care-taker  of  sheep.  He  was  engaged  for 
five  months  in  the  Sierra  Nevada  mountains  in  this 
capacity  and  then  returned  to  New  York,  via  Cape 
Horn,  after  a  few  weeks'  stay  at  Culiacan  on  the  west 
coast  of  Mexico. 

After  circumnavigating  the  globe  before  his  twenty- 
first  birthday,  he  decided  to  settle  down  and  came 
westward,  having  saved  a  few  hundred  dollars,  to  estab- 
lish a  home.  He  settled  at  Eclina,  Knox  County,  Mis- 
souri, where  he  passed  the  examination  necessary  to 
obtain  employment  as  a  teacher  in  the  district  school 
during  the  winter  of  1869. 

He  came  to  Chicago  the  spring  of  the  following 
year  and  found  employment  on  the  lakes  until  the 
close  of  navigation  that  year.  He  married  Miss  Anna 
Rogers  at  Bloomington,  Illinois,  in  1870. 

Chief  O'Neill  returned  to  Chicago  in  1871  and 
found  employment  with  the  Chicago  &  Alton  Railroad 
as  laborer  in  the  freight  house.  Promotion  followed 
promotion,  but  the  work  being  arduous  and  the  remu- 
neration small,  he  decided  to  try  for  a  position  on  the 
police  force.  Having  received  his  appointment  under 
Elmer  Washburne,  he  was  sworn  in  on  July  12,  1873, 


and  assigned  to  the  Harrison  Street  Station  under  Cap- 
tain Buckley.  He  was  shot  the  following  month  in  an 
encounter  with  a  burglar  and  still  carries  a  memento 
of  the  episode  in  a  bullet  which  penetrated  his  left 
breast  and  became  encysted  near  the  spine.  By  the 
unanimous  vote  of  the  police  board  he  was  advanced 
on  the  following  day  to  regular  patrolman  on  account 
of  his  bravery.  In  August,  1878,  he  was  made  police 
sergeant  and  transferred  to  the  Deering  Street  Station. 
He  was  moved  to  the  general  superintendent's  office 
by  Chief  of  Police  Doyle  in  1884  and  was  advanced  to 
patrol  sergeant  on  January  i,  1887. 

Three  years  later  he  was  advanced  to  lieutenant,  and, 
at     his     own     request,     Chief   of   Police    Maj.    R.    W. 


FRANCIS    O'NEILL. 

McClaughry  transferred  him  to  the  Tenth  Precinct  at 
Hyde  Park,  where  he  remained  until  recalled  to  Harri- 
son Street  Station  by  Chief  of  Police  Brennan  in  July, 
1893.  The  latter  made  him  his  private  secretary  the 
following  month  and  he  was  promoted  to  captain  and 
assigned  in  charge  of  the  Eighth  District,  the  Union 
Stock  Yards,  on  April  17,  1894.  Labor  troubles  and 
the  memorable  railroad  strike  of  1894  gave  Captain 
O'Neill  opportunity  for  new  laurels  and  he  personally 
directed  his  men  against  the  disturbers,  notwithstanding 
the  attack  of  five  thousand  strikers  thoroughly  enraged 
by  the  state  militia's  action. 

Chief  of  Police  Brennan  made  public  acknowledge- 
ment that  in  his  opinion  Captain  O'Neill's  command 
was  deserving  of  the  greatest  credit  in  the  strike  trouble. 
Since  that  time  Mr.  O'Neill  has  risen  rapidly  in  the 


280 


THE    CITY    OF    CHICAGO. 


police  department  until  he  finally  headed  that  institu- 
tion, realizing  his  ambition.  Chief  O'Neill  was  a 
stickler  on  discipline,  and  after  his  elevation  to  the 
head  of  the  department  did  more  toward  establishing  a 
clean,  wholesome  and  thoroughly  reliable  force  than 
any  of  his  predecessors  had  ever  accomplished. 

Chief  O'Neill  is  the  father  of  ten  children,  five 
daughters  and  five  sons.  Four  daughters  and  four 
sons  are  now  living.  His  youngest  son,  Rogers  F.,  a 
collegian  of  much  promise,  died  in  1904.  Chief  O'Neill 
is  the  only  member  in  Chicago  of  the  Cork  Historical 
and  Archaeological  Society.  He  belongs  to  no  secret 
organizations,  but  is  a  member  of  the  Police  Benevo- 
lent Association.  He  is  a  keen  business  man  and  during 
his  adventurous  days  in  the  police  department  he  man- 
aged to  invest  his  savings  in  real  estate  at  much  profit 


and  a  good  income.  His  student  mind  and  delight  in 
reading  have  found  an  outcome  in  a  well-stocked  library, 
in  which  are  quite  seven  hundred  volumes  devoted  to 
Ireland  and  Irish  subjects,  many  of  them  being 
extremely  rare  and  valuable  editions.  One  of  the  tangi- 
ble results  of  his  studies  and  research  is  the  publica- 
tion of  a  large  quarto  volume  of  the  melodies  of  his 
native  land  entitled,  The  Music  of  Ireland.  Nothing 
at  all  comparable  to  it  has  ever  appeared  in  print  and 
the  demand  for  it  in  Ireland  and  Australia  is  as  great  as 
in  America. 

Chief  O'Neill  has  served  the  city  of  Chicago  in  its 
police  department  longer  than  any  man  who  ever 
became  chief  of  police  and  has  served  in  the  office 
longer  than  any  of  his  predecessors,  excepting  the  late 
Joseph  Kipley. 


X 


4 


/. 


V 


•- 


"• 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


PAGE 

The   Inter   Ocean    Building    2 

Survey  of  Chicago,    1830   12 

View  of  Chicago,   1820   14 

Fort  Dearborn,  1853   16 

City  Hall    17 

U.  S.  Government  Building   19 

Columbus  Memorial   Building   20 

Great   Northern   Building   21 

Floral    Display    23 

Stock   Exchange    Building    26 

Auditorium    Building   36 

Chicago   Savings   Bank    37 

Masonic    Temple    46 

Water  Works    48 

Western  Union    Building    52 

International    Harvester    Company    58 

Armour  Institute 59 

Public   Library    62 

Newberry  Library   : 63 

Art   Institute 66 

Bedford   Building   69 

Marquette  Building  80 

Reaper   Block    83 

Monadnock    Block    87 

Chicago  &  Northwestern  Depot   94 

Map   Northwestern   Railway    95 

Map  Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  Railway 96 

Illinois  Central   Depot    97 

Illinois   Central    Map    98 

Grand  Central   Passenger   Station    100 

Map  Chicago  &  Eastern  Illinois  Railroad 103 

La  Salle  Street  Depot 104 

Polk  Street  Depot   106 

Pullman    Building    107 

Map  Chicago  &  Milwaukee  Electric  Railroad 115 

First   National   Bank    122 

Continental   National  Bank    124 

Chicago  National  Bank   125 

Commercial   National   Bank    126 

Illinois  Trust  and   Savings  Bank 128 

Merchants'   Loan   and   Trust   Company 129 


I'AGE 

American   Trust  and  Savings   Bank 130 

Northern    Trust    Company   131 

National  Life   Building   138 

Board  of  Trade 142 

Armour  &  Co.'s  Plant 151 

Armour  &  Co.'s   Grain    Elevators 153 

Swift  &   Co.'s   Plant 154 

Old   Myrick  Stock   Yards : . . .  155 

Libby,  McNeill  &  Libby's  Plant 156 

Miller  &  Hart  Plant 159 

Iroquois  Iron  Company's  Plant 164 

Scherzer   Rolling   Lift    Bridge 165,  166 

Hicks   Locomotive   and   Car   Works 169 

Cummings  Car  Company's  Plant 171 

Chicago   Bridge  and   Iron   W'orks 172 

Automatic  Electric  Company   174 

Corn   Products   Plant 1 79 

Marshall  Field  &  Co.'s  Wholesale  Store 182 

Marshall  Field  &  Co.'s  Retail  Store 184 

Gage  Bros.  &  Co 186 

Spaulding  &  Co 187 

E.  L.    Mansur   Company 188 

George   M.   Clark  Company 189 

Brunswick-Balke-Collender  Company   190 

Peter   Reinberg's   Plant    193 

Chicago    Edison  Company    195 

Commonwealth  Electric  Company 197 

People's  Gas  Light  &  Coke  Company 198 

Chicago   Telephone   Company    200 

Illinois   Tunnel   Company    202 

Northwestern   Terra   Cotta   Company    224 

Palmer    House    229 

Auditorium  Hotel    230 

Great  Northern  Hotel    231 

Hotel   Majestic    232 

Bush   Temple    244 

Douglas  Park    30,  39,  60,  84,  92,  160 

Garfield  Park 10,  34,  45,  54,  56,  73,  74.  91.  117,  149,  180 

Humboldt    Park 25,   29,   44,  64 

Union    Park    70,  76 

West  Chicago   Parks   6,  75 


281 


INDEX. 


PAGE 

PREFATORY    5 

CHAPTER  I — CHICAGO'S  FIRST  CENTURY 7 

CHAPTER  II — THE  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION 9 

CHAPTER  III— EARLY    CHICAGO  11 

CHAPTER  IV — THE  GROWTH  AND  MAYORS  OF  CHICAGO 24 

THE  MAYORS  OF  CHICAGO 28 

CHAPTER  V— CHICAGO  IN  WAR 35 

CHAPTER  VI— CHICAGO'S   GREAT  FIRE  DISASTERS 38 

CHAPTER  VII — THE    COLUMBIAN    EXPOSITION 41 

CHAPTER  VIII — THE  ILLINOIS   AND  MICHIGAN   CANAL 43 

CHAPTER  IX— CHICAGO'S  WATER  SYSTEM 47 

CHAPTER  X— THE  DRAINAGE  CANAL    51 

CHAPTER  XI— CHICAGO'S  PUBLIC  SCHOOL  SYSTEM 55 

CHAPTER  XII— CHICAGO'S  LIBRARIES   61 

CHAPTER  XIII— CHICAGO  AS  AN  ART  CENTER 65 

CHAPTER  XIV— CHURCHES  OF  CHICAGO  68 

CHAPTER  XV— CHICAGO   PARKS    71 

CHAPTER  XVI— NEWSPAPERS    78 

CHAPTER  XVII— CHICAGO'S   CHARITIES    86 

CHAPTER  XVIII— CHICAGO'S  RAILROAD  SYSTEMS 89 

CHAPTER  XIX— BANKS  OF  CHICAGO 116 

CHAPTER  XX— BOARD  OF  TRADE  141 

CHAPTER  XXI — CHICAGO  CATTLE  MARKET  OF  THE  WORLD...   150 

CHAPTER  XXII— MANUFACTURING  INTERESTS   161 

CHAPTER  XXIII— CHICAGO'S  BUSINESS  INTERESTS   181 

CHAPTER  XXIV— PROMINENT   MEN,   PAST  AND   PRESENT 233 

Aldrich,  Charles  H 253 

Allerton,  Samuel  W 266 

American  Trust  and  Savings  Bank i.?° 

Armour  Institute   59 

Armour,  M.  C 163,  164 

Armour,  Philip  D 237 

Armour  &  Co 152 

Arnold,   Bion  J 214 

Auditorium   Hotel 230 

Automatic   Electric    Company    174,  175 

Bailey,   Edward  W 148 

Ballon,   A.   P 134 

Banks,  Alexander  F 109 

Banning,  Ephraim   250 

Barrett,  Thomas  E 277 

Bartlett,   Charles   L 275 

Belt  Railway  Company  of  Chicago 105 

Bensinger,   Moses    189,  190 

Bird,  A.  C 108 

Blakely,  C.   F 192 

Blakely   Printing   Company 192 

Blome,    Rudolph   S 228 

Bogle,  W.  S 204 

Borders,  M.  W 261 

Boyles,  Charles  D 146 

Brown,   Paul    258 

Browning,   Granville  W 257 

Brundage,   Edward  J 259 


PAGE 

Brunswick-Balke-Collender    Company    190 

Bush,  William  H 243 

Bushnell,  Henry  D 178 

Brock,  A.  J 194 

Brock  &  Rankin  194 

Byllesby,  Henry    M 217 

Cable,  The  Company   175,  176 

Cameron,  Dwight  F 114 

Chicago  Bridge  &  Iron  Works 172 

Chicago  Edison   Company   194-196 

Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St.   Paul  Railway  Company 96 

Chicago  National   Bank    124-126 

Chicago  Telephone  Company   200 

Chicago  Terminal   Transfer  Railroad  Company 99-101 

Chicago  &  Eastern  Illinois  Railroad 102-104 

Chicago   &   Milwaukee    Electric   Railroad,    The 114 

Chicago  &  Northwestern  Railway  Company 9.3-95 

Chicago  &  Western  Indiana  Railway 105 

Clark,  George   M 189 

Clark,  George  M.,   Company 189 

Commercial   National  Bank    126 

Commonwealth   Electric   Company 196-198 

Cooley,  Lyman   E 216 

Continental   National   Bank    123,  124 

Corn   Products   Company  179 

Cudahy,   John    147 

Cummings,  John  J 171 

Crilly,    Daniel    F 267,  268 

Davis,  Reginald  J.,  Company 226 

Delihant,    W.    T 208 

Dickinson,    Albert    144 

Dickinson,    Charles    145 

Dickinson,   Dr.    Frances    264 

Dickinson,    Nathan    145 

Dickinson,  The  Albert,  Company 144 

Dunne,  Hon.   Edward  F 33 

Emmerich,   Charles    243 

Ewen,  John  M 211 

Faithorn,  John  N 101 

Farwell,   John   V.,   Sr 246,  247 

Federal    Life   Insurance  Company 137 

Ferguson,  Dr.   Alexander   H 263 

Fetzer,  John  C 109,   no 

Field,  Marshall,  &  Co 181-185 

Fiero,  Albert  W 213 

First  National  Bank   122 

Fitzgerald,   Richard    no 

Forrest,  W.  S 256 

Forsyth,   Jacob    246 

Fraser,  David  R 240 

Greenebaum,    Elias    133 

Greenebaum,  Henry   E 133 

Greenebaum,  James   E 133 

Greenebaum,  Moses  E 133 


282 


INDEX. 


Us:! 


Greenebaum  Sons   133 

Gage  Bros.  &  Co 186 

Galian,  Thomas   242 

Goodrich,  Adams  A 254 

Gray,  James   J 261 

Great   Northern  Hotel    231 

Gurley,   W.   W 252 

Hamilton,   Isaac   M 137 

Hammond,   R.   R 206 

Happel,   Charles  J 277 

Harris,  N.  W.,  &  Co 132 

Head,  Franklin  H 266 

Heyworth,  James  0 218 

Hicks,  F.  M.,  Company 169,  170 

Hogan,  Thomas  S 258 

Hopkins,   Albert   J 255 

Hotel  Majestic    ;• 232 

Hoyt,  Howard  H 136 

Hudson,    T.    J.,    Jr 208 

Hughitt,    Marvin    95 

Hunt,  Robert  W 213 

Hunt,  Robert  W.,  &  Co 212 

Illinois    Brick   Company 221 

Illinois    Central   Railroad 97 

Illinois  Trust  and  Savings  Bank 127,  128 

Illinois   Tunnel   Company    201 

Inter  Ocean,  The 82 

Iroquois  Iron  Company   163,  164 

Irwin,  Charles  D 147 

Irwin,  Green  &  Co 146 

Jackson,   George  W 203 

Jackson,  W.   J 105 

Jennings,   J.   Elliott    140 

Jones,  John   S 268 

Kesner,  Jacob  L 272 

Kohler   Bros 218 

Lake,  William  H 149 

La  Salle  County  Carbon  Coal  Company 207 

Lemmon,  T.   A 267 

Lenehan,  Joseph   H 139,  140 

Libby,   McNeill  &  Libby 156 

Lincoln,    George   E 272 

Loose,  Jacob  L 267 

Madden,   Martin   B 221 

Mansur,  E,  L.,  Company  188 

Mather,   Alonzo  L 110-112  • 

Mayer,    Oscar   F 273 

MacArthur  Bros.   Company 209,  210,  21 1 

MacArthur,  Archibald   210 

MacArthur,   Arthur   F 211 

McClean,  S.  A.,  Jr 257 

McCord,    Alvin    C i/o 

McCormick,   Cyrus  H 233 

McDonald,  James 205 

McEwen,   Willard   M 248 

McGavin,   Charles    262 

McMunn,   Samuel   W 168,  169 

McMynn,  John   C 214 

Meacham,  Florus  D 222 

Meacham  &  Wright  Company 222 

Merchants'  Loan  and  Trust  Company 129,  130 

Miller,   Harry   1 104,  105 

Miller,   John   S -. , 252 

Miller,    Walter    H 159 

Mitchell,  John  J 127,  128 

Mitten,  Thomas   E 112 

Monarch   Book   Company   19° 

Merrill,  Charles  E 273 

Morris,   Nelson  &  Co ISS 

National  Life  Insurance  Company  of  the  U.  S.  of  America.  138,  139 
National   Packing  Company  '57 


PAGE 

Netcher,   Charles    24$ 

Noel,   Prof.  Theophilus   274 

Nollau,    Arthur    226 

Northern   Trust   Company    131 

Northwestern  Terra  Cotta  Company 223,  224 

O'Donnell,    M.   C .'208 

O'Gara,  Thomas  J 204 

Ogden  Gas  Company 199 

O'Neill,  Francis 278 

Otis,  Joseph   E 241 

Palmer  House    22p 

Palmer,  Potter    235 

Pam,   Hugo 260 

Peck,  Philip   F.   W 239 

People's  Gas  Light  and  Coke  Company 198 

Peters,  Homer  H 269 

Plamondon,    Charles    A 275 

Porter,   Washington    270 

Pratt,  Dr.  Edwin  H 262 

Pullman   Palace   Car   Company 106-108 

Rankin,    Charles   W I94 

Reinberg,  Peter   JQ^ 

Republic  Iron  and  Steel  Company if,2 

Rider,   William   H jp2 

Roche,   John   A 31 

Roebling  Construction   Company    219 

Russell,   John  B 134 

Sapp,    Gordon    G 191 

Scherzer,    Albert    H jgg 

Scherzer  Rolling  Lift  Bridge   Company 164-167 

Scherzer,   William    167 

Schlueter,  Henry  W 212 

Schneider,  E.,  &  Co 175 

Schwarzschild  &  Sulzberger   157 

Selz,   Morris   185 

Shankland,  E.  C.  &  R.  M 219 

Shope,   Simeon   P 250 

Shortall,  John   G 271 

Simon,  Robert  M 276 

Smith,  Abner    249 

Smith,  Frederick  A 247 

Smulski,  John  F 259,  260 

Spaulding   &   Co 187 

Spry,  Samuel  A 225 

Spry,  The  John,  Lumber  Company 225 

Standard  Washed  Coal  Company 208 

Starnes,   P.   M .• 139 

Starring,   Mason   B 113 

Steger,  John  V 178 

Steger,  The  Piano   Company 176-178 

Stromberg,  Albert    172-174 

Stubbs,  John   C 108 

Sturgeon,  Robert  C 135 

Sulzberger,  Ferdinand    158 

Swift,  George  B 32 

Swift,    Gustavus    F 238 

Swift  &  Co 153 

Sweet,   Col.   A.   L 220 

Thomas,  E.  A 220 

Thomas  Elevator  Company   220 

.Thornton,  Charles   S 254 

United  States  Peat  Fuel  Company 178 

Vehmeyer,   Henry  F 146 

Walker,  Lincoln  W 191 

Weber,   B.   F 227 

Wells,   Addison  E 209 

Wells,  Fred  A 209 

Wells  Bros.   Company    209 

Wickes,  Thomas  H 242 

Willey,   Cameron   L 224 

Wright,    Frank    S . 223 


